The ownership dispute surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals has escalated into a legal battle in a UK court. Manoj Badale, the current majority owner of the Rajasthan Royals, has accused Raj Kundra, a former co-owner, of blackmail. The accusation stems from a disagreement over Kundra's forfeited stake in the IPL team and an alleged breach of a confidential settlement agreement established in 2019.

Badale and his company, Emerging Media Ventures, have filed a lawsuit against Kundra in London's High Court, alleging a breach of the 2019 agreement. The heart of the legal matter revolves around Kundra's previous shares in the Rajasthan Royals, a team that notably won the inaugural IPL season in 2008 and currently boasts a brand value of $12 billion, making it one of cricket's wealthiest tournaments.

According to Badale's lawyer, Adam Speker, Kundra, who is married to Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty, allegedly attempted to blackmail Badale by threatening to report serious allegations to Indian authorities. Speker stated that Kundra had to forfeit his 11.7% stake in the team after being found guilty of betting on IPL games in 2015. This scandal led to the suspension of the Rajasthan Royals for two years.

Speker further elaborated that Kundra had contacted Badale "out of the blue" the previous month, claiming he had been "misled and defrauded of the rightful value of my 11.7% stake." In the email, Kundra purportedly stated that he had filed a complaint with Indian authorities and threatened to report the matter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). However, he also expressed willingness to discuss a deal that would involve either "the restoration of my original equity or compensation reflecting the true and current valuation of the Rajasthan Royals franchise."

Adding another layer to the dispute, Speker revealed that Kundra had messaged Lalit Modi, the disgraced founder of the IPL, stating that Badale "did not realize cheating me of the true value would cost him dearly."

In response to these actions, Badale and Emerging Media Ventures obtained an interim injunction against Kundra on May 30, preventing him from breaching the settlement agreement by making disparaging statements.

Kundra's lawyer, William McCormick, acknowledged that Kundra accepted the injunction should remain in place until a full trial is conducted to resolve the lawsuit. However, McCormick emphasized that this acceptance "is not an admission that anything improper has been done or is being threatened."

Kundra has denied the blackmail allegations, asserting that he has received information about the claimants and their lawyer, William McCormick, which, if untrue, will be revealed in due course.