Pune : In a surprising turn of events, the Director General of Defence Estates (DGDE) Office has issued a fresh order directing all Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) officers posted under the Southern Command to refrain from speaking to the media. This directive, issued on February 2, explicitly instructs IDES officers serving as Defence Estate Officers (DEO) and Cantonment Board Chief Executive Officers (CEO) under the Southern Command to withhold information related to cantonment boards and defence lands from the media.
Media Silence Directive:
The order, attributed to an officer of the rank of deputy director, extends to IDES officers with public interfaces, requiring them to seek approval for any media releases from their superiors. This development comes amid a surge in media coverage regarding the illegal sale of defence land under the jurisdiction of DEO, Pune.
Controversial Lockdown:
Sources within the defence estate, speaking anonymously, have noted that the advisory is particularly timely, coinciding with increased media scrutiny of stories related to illegal defence land sales in the jurisdiction of DEO, Pune. The DEO, Pune, recently took decisive action by sealing four bungalow properties estimated to be worth ₹350 crore and initiating takeover proceedings against the New Poona Club management for failing to pay pending dues amounting to ₹17 crore.
Legal Maneuvers:
A Pune court’s order on February 1 appointed a special bailiff to unlock Bungalow Number 22 on Napier Road, following a stay application related to an earlier order dated January 30. The initial order had directed the DEO to de-seal an Old Grant Bungalow (OGB) property, issuing a mandatory interim injunction to open the bungalow lock. The DEO, Pune Circle, had sealed the ₹100-crore bungalow on January 12, citing fraudulent sale of the defence property and unauthorized occupation.
Despite legal actions, the media gag order has stirred speculation about transparency and accountability in ongoing investigations related to the scandal.
