MS Dhoni accused of misleading High Court

10/05/2016

MS Dhoni has been accused of 'wilfully' misleading the court and creating 'alarmist circumstances' by Max Mobilink Pvt Ltd, for whom he has been a brand ambassador. The Indian ODI captain had filed a case against the company alleging that they had used his name even after the end of their contract.

MS Dhoni had been contracted into a sponsorship deal until 2012 by Max Mobilink Pvt Ltd, the makers of the Maxx mobile phones. However, sometime after the end of the contract period, Dhoni had filed a complaint stating that the telecom company was using his name even after the contract had expired. Dhoni’s lawyer had alleged that Maxx been “in direct violation” of court orders by continuing the use of the cricketer’s name, jersey number and images for their MSD 07 Phone even after the association between the two parties had ended.

Rajneesh Chopra, the advocate who had appeared on Dhoni’s behalf, had also accused the company of unlawful use of the cricketer’s image and videos on their website and Facebook pages as well.

Justice J R Midha had also instructed Maxx Mobile’s Ajjay Agarwal to file an affidavit containing all the information about the stocks of the said product available with them when the court’s order was imposed on November 17, 2014 and the number of sales succeeding the event.

“What instruction it (Maxx Mobile) has given with regard to removal of petitioner’s (Dhoni) name from the product (mobile and its box) to the printer,” the court had said according to the Hindustan Times.

Now Ajjay Agarwal, who is the Managing Director of the firm, has filed an affidavit against Dhoni claiming that the company had not sold any products with Dhoni’s name or image post-November 17, 2014.

Agarwal and Max Mobilink are seeking compensation over Dhoni's plea for initiating contempt against the former and the case to be dismissed.

“The respondent has committed willful contempt, and have also substantially interfered with the administration of justice,” the plea had claimed a reported by the Indian Express.

According to the PTI, Agarwal, in his affidavit filed before Justice Manmohan, said, “I say and submit that the company has removed all material from its own websites and from social media websites including Facebook. However, at this juncture, I say and submit that the petitioner number one (Dhoni) is guilty of wilfully misleading this court for the sake of creating alarmist circumstances.”

Agarwal also reiterated that the company had not used any of Dhoni’s brand name on social media platforms for any financial benefits.