Dhoni Didn’t Give Me My 28 Crore Due: Cricketer Mihir Diwakar’s Case Reveals 26-Year Friendship Strain

Mihir Diwakar, a 41-year-old individual who claims to have known cricketer MS Dhoni since their college days, has himself pursued a cricketing career, having played 39 first-class and 36 List A matches. He even shared the field with Dhoni in Bihar’s Ranji team and was part of the victorious Indian team in the Under-19 World Cup in 2000. 

However, their camaraderie seems to have soured over financial allegations. Diwakar, who was Dhoni’s manager until 2021, has now found himself entangled in legal battles. Civil court orders from Ranchi have directed Diwakar, his wife Soumya Das, and their company Arka Sports Management to face charges. 

These legal proceedings stem from allegations of a 15 crore rupees scam involving Dhoni. The case was filed against Dhoni and Diwakar on January 4, 2024, followed by a countersuit by Diwakar against Dhoni for defamation. The legal saga underscores a rift in a friendship that once seemed unshakeable, shedding light on the complexities that can arise when personal and financial matters intertwine.

A 26-Year-Old Friendship Between Mihir and Dhoni

Mihir and Dhoni go way back to 1999 when they played together for Bihar in the Ranji Trophy. Mihir reminisces, “Dhoni and I played together for seven years in the Under-19 and Ranji Trophy. Then Dhoni got selected for the Indian cricket team.”

“It was in 2014 when I started Arka Sports Management with my wife Soumya. My home is in Sivan, Bihar. I used to travel to Ranchi occasionally for work. At that time, Dhoni told me that good brand deals weren’t coming his way.”

“During that period, Dhoni was dealing with controversies like match-fixing allegations. He used to seek help from me.”

Agreement to Open Cricket Academy in India and Abroad in 2017

On May 7, 2017, Dhoni had signed an agreement with Diwakar to open cricket academies in India and abroad, as per a complaint filed. Diwakar was given the responsibility for the management and operations of the academy. It was agreed that Diwakar would share complete accounts with Dhoni yearly.

Arka Sports Management also decided to split the franchise fee into three parts. A decision was made to give 10% commission to Dhoni, Arka Sports Management, and Shri Sai Trademart Private Limited for opening the academy.

On August 15, 2021, Diwakar was removed from his duties related to the academy. He was informed of this decision via email. It was also mentioned that until then, no agreement had been made regarding the academy’s opening. Allegedly, Diwakar used Dhoni’s name without his consent and made agreements with stakeholders.

According to information obtained by Bhaskaran, after the completion of the agreement on August 15, 2021, Mihir had signed deals with six companies for MSD Cricket Academy. These companies include Elite Sports USA (LLC), Sachith and Associates, Balaji Arun Educational and Cultural Trust, Pallavi Education Society, and Montessori Education Society.

On January 6, Dhoni filed a case of criminal conspiracy against Diwakar in Ranchi. He accused Diwakar and his wife Soumya Das of forgery, cheating, and using forged documents.

Dhoni’s Name Associated with Over 50 Sports Academies in India

Since 2020, MS Dhoni Cricket Academy has been opened in Singapore, Dubai, and Qatar. Over 50 academies have been established in India. There are 18 centers in India.

Mihir stated, “We were looking for brand deals for Dhoni. At that time, a real estate company from Dubai contacted us. This company was interested in opening a cricket academy in Dhoni’s name. The deal was worth ₹10 crores. I informed Dhoni about this. They were ready.”

“I am a cricketer and a certified coach. Therefore, Dhoni entrusted me with finalizing the deal and handling the academy’s opening. For this, Dhoni gave me a signed letter on May 7, 2021. It stated that I could negotiate the deal on Dhoni’s behalf. After the deal, the first center was opened in Dubai.”

“MS Dhoni Academy earned money by providing its franchise to others for operational expenses. Operational expenses include salaries for coaches and training. Mihir and Dhoni shared the profits. Mihir alleges that there was no contract for this.”

Mihir said, “I used to send contract emails to Dhoni’s personal email ID regularly. But they kept delaying. In 2019, I met Dhoni and handed him the agreement. But even then, he did not sign. I used to communicate agreements via email and WhatsApp.”

Agreement with Dhoni Concealed by Intermediary

A company named Shree Enterprise has filed a case against Mihir and Soumya at the Vastral Police Station in Ahmedabad. The complaint alleges that in 2020, director Mihir Diwakar and Soumya Das of Arka Sports Management Private Limited contacted Shree Enterprise and said that Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MS Dhoni) was seeking to open cricket academies in various cities of the country.

Vineet Bhaskaran, associated with Shree Enterprise, stated, “Mihir contacted me in October 2020. They were interested in opening 5 academies in Gujarat. I visited Arka Sports’ website and saw Mihir showing his photo with Dhoni. That’s when I gained trust in them.”

“We paid Mihir a licensing fee of ₹45 lakhs. The agreement for the cricket academy was signed with Arka Sports Management on October 26, 2020. This agreement between Arka Sports and Shree Enterprise was for 10 years. I used to pay Mihir a royalty of ₹75,000 every month. Besides this, there was also a brand alliance fee. So far, I have paid Mihir ₹9.25 lakhs.”

Vinith says, “I received the money from Mihir until November 2022. By the end of November, I received an email from Dhoni’s team. From this, I learned that the agreement between Mihir and Dhoni had ended in 2021. Since then, I have been working directly with Dhoni. We have all the relations. I used to pay him every month, but so far, there has been no agreement.”

Deal Was Made Before 2021, But Money Kept Coming

Regarding the question of the expiration of the contract, Mihir states that the deals with these companies were made before 2021. However, the response to the legal notice shows a different reality. Bhaskaran has documentation to support this.

Elite Sports USA (LLC)

A contract was made with the company before 2021. However, the academy has not started until today. Its franchise fee was ₹44,73,105. This project has failed.

Dhoni’s School in Ranchi

In Simriya, Ranchi, Dhoni owns a farmhouse where he practices farming. Mihir states, “Dhoni wanted to open a school here. He discussed it with me. We thought of opening a sports school where training would be provided for every sport. It would be India’s first school where training for every sport would be provided. Dhoni asked me to prepare a plan for it.”

“I hired several agencies for this work. My team went to Ranchi and did everything, but the deal couldn’t be finalized with the landowner. Meanwhile, a Bangalore-based company, Shradha Global Education Trust, contacted me for the academy. They were ready to invest in the school.”

“In 2019, a contract was signed in Delhi for the school. Dhoni was also present at that time. Initially, plans were made to open schools in Bangalore and Hosur.”

Mihir reveals, “I sent a draft to Dhoni. It included the authorization to proceed, but Dhoni didn’t approve it.”

Allegations by Mihir Regarding Dhoni’s Dealings

Mihir alleges that in 2022, Dhoni began to sabotage the relationship between them. Subsequently, people close to Dhoni filed a case against me with the Shradha Global Education Trust. The trust has filed a written complaint, stating that Mihir had made a deal with Dhoni without any authority and received 35 lakh rupees from the trust.

Mihir states, “This is not about a school or academy. It’s about endorsement. Academies do not generate profits nowadays. There has been no agreement signed by any academy or school. There is no endorsement agreement between me and Dhoni. I have sent him a draft agreement many times. He did not sign any agreement. Dhoni has been doing this since 2004 with whoever has been his manager.”

Mihir has shown us WhatsApp chats, drafts of agreements, profit-loss statements, and emails. There was no response to any message or email. Mihir concludes the whole matter by saying, “I am not afraid of Dhoni. I have 30 crore rupees against him. I will file these documents in court.”

Dhoni’s Manager Claims Mihir Was Directly Taking Money Without Disclosure

In a conversation with Dhoni’s manager, it was stated that Mihir was directly taking money but not disclosing it. Bhaskaran also spoke to Dhoni’s manager about this case. They said, “We have heard that Mihir was taking money directly for academies and schools using Dhoni’s name. 

They did not provide us with this information. The agreement with Dhoni for the academy was terminated in 2021.”

Dhoni never officially authorized Mihir for the school. However, they continued to operate deals using Dhoni’s name. If they are showing emails sent to Dhoni, they should also mention that Dhoni never responded to any of those emails. So how did they proceed with deals afterward?