RANCHI: Former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has lodged a criminal case at the Ranchi Civil Court against his former business partners Mihir Diwakar and Soma Das of Arka Sports and Management Limited for allegedly cheating him of Rs 15 crore.
Dhoni, in his complaint, alleged that the company did not follow the conditions of an agreement signed in 2017 due to which he suffered a loss of Rs 15 crore.
“The agreement was signed between Mihir Diwakar and Soma Das of Arka Sports and Management Private Limited and Dhoni according to which the company would open cricket academies in his name and pay the franchisee fee. Dhoni then gave an authorisation letter to the company. Initially, they paid for some time but after that they stopped making any payment and also stopped giving any information about the opening of new cricket academies,” said Dhoni's advocate Dayanand Singh. As a result, Dhoni revoked the authority given to them on August 15, 2021, he added.
The advocate further stated that the company continued opening cricket academies all over the world at different locations and collecting money from people by misusing the name of Dhoni without his knowledge.
“In 2022, a legal notice was sent to the company but they did not stop and Dhoni incurred a financial loss of more than Rs 15 crore,” said the advocate. Finally, a criminal case was filed at the civil court in Ranchi by advocate Simant Lohani, he added.
The advocate informed that the case was heard for the first time on Friday and the next hearing will take place next on January 20. The case has been filed against the company under Sections 406, 420, 468, 471 and 120B of Indian Penal Code, he said.
The academies were closed after the agreement was terminated in 2021. Diwakar is said to be Dhoni’s acquaintance for a long time.