Ludhiana, April 22 -- The department of rural development and panchayats Monday suspended three block development and panchayat officers (BDPOs) over an alleged embezzlement of Rs.121 crore land acquisition funds in Ludhiana district, said officials.

The suspension orders come a year and a half after the former Punjab rural development and panchayat minister Laljit Singh Bhullar had ordered officials to chargesheet around a dozen officials of the department and six sarpanches.

According to the orders issued by administrative secretary Ajit Balaji Joshi, the officers-Rupinderjit Kaur, Simrat Kaur and Gurpreet Singh Mangat- have been directed to report to the district development and panchayat officer (DDPO) during their suspension. An in...