India, Sept. 11 -- A block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) and a private firm owner were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly embezzling Rs.28 crore of public money by clearing forged bills for development projects that only existed on paper in Tigaon block of Faridabad, Haryana anti-corruption bureau (ACB) officials said on Wednesday.

The arrested suspects were Puja Sharma, BDPO of Tigaon block from September 2020 to April 2021, and Hira Lal, owner of a plantation firm. While Sharma was remanded to two days of police custody for interrogation, Lal was sent to judicial custody after being produced before a Faridabad court on Wednesday.

At least 10 more suspects, including officiating sarpanch Brahm Pal, panchayat secretary Jogende...