New Delhi [India], September 29 (ANI): BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has said he has filed defamation proceedings against former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, escalating the ongoing dispute between the two.

In a post on X, Dubey said he has filed a civil defamation suit before the Delhi High Court, seeking 2 crore in damages from Garg. He also said a criminal defamation case has been filed before the Patiala House Court in Delhi. Dubey said the matter will now be decided by the courts and that the case will also examine his record as a parliamentarian over the last 18 years.

The cases follow a legal notice sent by Dubey to Garg last week, in which the BJP MP sought an unconditional apology, withdrawal of the statements and removal of the allegations made against him. Dubey had given Garg seven days to comply with the demands and warned of legal action if he failed to do so.

Garg, in his response to the notice, rejected Dubey's demands and said the notice was not justified. In a detailed post shared on social media, the former Finance Secretary explained his position and maintained that the statements referred to in the notice were based on his understanding and recollection of events.

Garg also referred to an opinion article he had written on India's GDP growth and said Dubey later criticised him on X and shared a March 3, 2018 letter written by Dubey to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the letter, Dubey had raised concerns over Garg's economic policy approach when he was Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs.

Garg said he came across the 2018 letter for the first time in September 2026 when Dubey posted it on X. He also said he had not responded to Dubey's social media post or the 2018 letter at that time.

The dispute later widened after Garg spoke about his alleged interaction with Dubey during a podcast. Dubey has disputed Garg's account and denied the allegations.

With Dubey now saying that both civil and criminal defamation proceedings have been initiated, the dispute has moved to the legal forum. The allegations and counter-allegations are subject to adjudication by the respective courts. (ANI)