Former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s ex-business partner, Mihir Diwakar, has been arrested for alleged fraud. The arrest stems from a criminal case filed by Dhoni himself, who accused Diwakar of unauthorized use of his name and financial irregularities.
Diwakar, the director of Aarka Sports Management Pvt Ltd, was taken into custody by the Jaipur police on Tuesday. The arrest follows allegations that he established cricket academies using Dhoni’s name without his consent.
According to Dhoni’s complaint, Diwakar continued to operate cricket academies and sport complexes in his name even after his authority was revoked in August 2021. The former India captain claims that he was not informed about these activities and did not receive any share of the profits.
The Chennai Super Kings skipper has filed a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including fraud, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. The complaint also names Soumya Das, another director of Aarka Sports Management Pvt Ltd.
The investigation revealed that Diwakar allegedly collected money for MS Dhoni Cricket and Sports Academies, amounting to over Rs 15 crore. However, Aarka Sports was obligated to pay Dhoni a franchise fee and share profits, which they allegedly failed to do.
Dhoni’s lawyer stated that the cricketer academies were set up without his knowledge and that the authority letter granted to the partners was revoked in 2021. Despite this, Diwakar and Das continued to use Dhoni’s name and establish academies without sharing any information or profits with him.
The arrest of Mihir Diwakar is a significant development in the ongoing legal battle between Dhoni and his former business partners. The investigation is expected to shed light on the extent of the alleged fraud and the involvement of other individuals.
