IPL scandal: Mahendra Singh Dhoni lied to inquiry panel, petitioner tells Supreme Court

Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's name came up in the Supreme Court on Thursday during a hearing on the Indian Premier League betting and spot-fixing scandal.

Counsel for the petitioner (Aditya Verma of Cricket Association of Bihar), Harish Salve, alleged that Dhoni is "guilty of corrupt conduct." He accused the India skipper of making a false statement before an inquiry committee appointed by the Supreme Court. The BCCI's lawyers did not respond in court. They also refused NDTV's request for a comment. (Also read: Supreme wants Gavaskar to be BCCI president)

Salve argued that Dhoni had told the Justice Mukul Mudgal committee that BCCI president N Srinivasan's son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, was a "mere enthusiast" when in fact, he was an official of the Chennai Super Kings IPL team. (Read: Gavaskar ready for any challenge)

Dhoni has led the Chennai Super Kings or CSK in all six seasons of the IPL; the team is owned by Mr Srinivasan's company, India Cements. Meiyappan has been accused of betting and sharing team information and was indicted by the Justice Mudgal committee in its report submitted to the Supreme Court on February 10. (Suggested read: People have lost faith in IPL, says Lalit Modi)

Dhoni is also employed by India Cements as a vice-president. Srinivasan is the Managing Director of India Cements, which also owns CSK. Dhoni thus faces charges of "conflict of interest." (Srinivasan will step aside, BCCI's offer to Supreme Court)

The Supreme Court proposed on Thursday that CSK and Rajasthan Royals should not play the seventh season of the IPL beginning in the United Arab Emirates on April 16, since there is an investigation on. It has also suggested that no employee of India Cements must be on the board of the BCCI. (Top-10 possible fallouts of IPL 7 minus CSK, RR)

In Dhaka on Thursday, Dhoni skipped a pre-match press conference ahead of India's ICC World Twenty20 match with Bangladesh on Friday. The BCCI also cancelled an IPL launch press conference in Abu Dhabi. (Related: 'Ganguly best person to become BCCI president')