Dhoni is not higher than the game of Cricket: Zee to HC

Chennai: Facing a Rs 100 crore defamation suit from India cricket captain M S Dhoni over its reports on IPL betting scam, Zee TV on Wednesday defended itself in Madras High Court, saying it merely reported the deposition of a suspended IPS officer.

In its counter affidavit filed before the court in compliance of notice issued to it, the TV network said its reports were based on the deposition of G Sampath Kumar before the Supreme Court-appointed Mudgal Committee.

Dhoni had filed the suit claiming Rs 100 crore damages for allegedly telecasting "malicious" news that he was involved in betting, spot and match fixing of IPL matches.

The Zee Television Network denied it deliberately attempted to malign Dhoni and accused him of attempting to gag media from discussing an issue of national and public importance.

As responsible journalists, they had a duty to report the "sorry saga" of Indian cricket and put forth questions in the mind of every citizen of the country, it contended.

In an interim order effective for two weeks, the court had on March 18 restrained Zee News and News Nation channels from telecasting any news linking Dhoni with the IPL betting/fixing scam and issued notices to the defendants.