The Jharkhand State Housing Board has issued a notice to former India captain MS Dhoni for alleged commercial use of his residential plot in Ranchi. The board alleged it to be a violation of housing rules and added that it could lead to further action if the allegations are found to be true.
The residential plot alloted to Dhoni was only meant for residential purpose. But inquiry by the housing board revealed that the property was being used for commercial activities, which is a violation of the allotment rules.
Jharkhand Housing Board chairman Sanjay Lal Paswan also confirmed that notices have been issued to several individuals including Dhoni, after the probe done by the board revealed alleged misuse of the residential properties.
The property is located on Harmu Road in Ranchi, where Dhoni earlier lived before shifting to his current home on Ring Road. The inquiry was initiated after allegations were made that the plot was being used to run a diagnostic facility.
Following the findings, the housing board sent a notice to Dhoni and stated that the commercial use of the property is a violation of the terms under which the land was granted.
The residential plot was allotted to Dhoni in 2006. The allotment of the land came under specific conditions and only to be used for housing purpose. The 2011 World Cup-winning captain is yet to reply to the notice issued by the housing board.
The official said that if Dhoni fails to reply or does not give a satisfactory explanation, the board would be compelled to begin the process to cancel the plot allotment. Any such step would be taken by following the prescribed procedures and regulations, the official added.
“A residential plot was allotted by the Jharkhand State Housing Board to cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but it was found to be used for commercial purposes. We have issued notice to him for violation of rules and norms,” Sanjay Lal Paswan was quoted as saying.
Dhoni was recently spotted batting in the nets in Ranchi as he began preparing for IPL 2026. Chennai Super Kings (CK) had retained Dhoni for Rs 4 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, taking advantage of the updated retention rules.
In the lead-up to the new season, Dhoni also visited the Deori Temple in Ranchi on March 27. As per reports, it has become a yearly ritual for him to seek blessings there before the IPL begins.
CSK, however, are coming off a difficult IPL 2025 campaign. The five-time champions finished at the bottom of the table, managing just four wins while losing 10 matches. Dhoni scored 196 runs from 13 innings at a strike rate of 135.17 during the season.
Despite the setback, Dhoni remains the most seasoned player in IPL history. He has featured in 278 matches, scoring 5,439 runs. Behind the stumps, he leads the IPL record charts with 154 catches and 47 stumpings.
Looking to bounce back, CSK reshaped their squad at the IPL 2026 auction. The franchise added nine new players and showed strong faith in uncapped Indian talent, spending Rs 14.20 crore each on Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, making them the most expensive uncapped signings in IPL history.
