NEW DELHI: Cricket icon Mahendra Singh Dhoni has taken legal action against Mihir Diwakar and Soumya Vishwash of Aarka Sports and Management Limited by filing a criminal case in a Ranchi court.
Allegedly, Diwakar had entered into an agreement with Dhoni in 2017 to establish a global cricket academy. However, Diwakar failed to fulfill the specified conditions outlined in the agreement. Aarka Sports was supposed to pay a franchise fee and share profits according to the agreement, but these terms were not honoured.
Despite multiple attempts to resolve the issues, the terms and conditions of the agreement were consistently ignored. As a result, Dhoni revoked the authority letter granted to Aarka Sports on August 15, 2021, and issued several legal notices, all of which went unanswered.
According to media reports, Dayanand Singh, representing MS Dhoni through Vidhi Associates, emphasised that they were deceived and cheated by Aarka Sports, resulting in a loss exceeding Rs 15 crore.
Dhoni’s friend Simant Lohani, also known as Chittu, has filed a complaint, claiming that he faced threats and abuse from Mihir Diwakar after legal action was initiated against Aarka Sports.
Recently returning from spending the New Year in Dubai, Dhoni welcomed 2024 with his family and friends. During the trip, India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was also seen accompanying Dhoni. The duo had earlier celebrated Christmas together in Dubai.
Rishabh Pant joined Dhoni in Dubai for the IPL 2024 mini-auction, held in the UAE on December 19. Pant, recovering from multiple injuries after a life-threatening car crash in December 2022, participated in the auction with the Delhi Capitals team management.
Both Dhoni and Pant are expected to make a competitive comeback during IPL 2024, anticipated to be Dhoni’s farewell season in the lucrative league. Despite a challenging knee condition, the 41-year-old Dhoni led the Chennai Super Kings to their fifth title in 2023.
Having undergone knee surgery in June 2023, Dhoni’s successful rehabilitation at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai was closely followed by fans. Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan provided a positive update on Dhoni’s health, confirming steady progress in his recovery. Dhoni himself expressed optimism about his rehabilitation, assuring that there were no hindrances in his day-to-day routine during the rehab phase.
