JAKARTA, June 3 - Indonesian authorities arrested the recently dismissed head of an agency overseeing President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free meals programme on Wednesday along with two other former officials, hours after a raid put the agency's offices under lockdown.

Less than 24 hours after his sacking by Prabowo, Dadan Hindayana, the National Nutrition Agency former chief, was arrested by Indonesia's Attorney General's Office (AGO) on charges of causing state losses and enriching himself. If found guilty, he could face a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

Dadan was seen at the AGO building being whisked away in handcuffs and a pink vest and put into a vehicle, as throngs of reporters surrounded him.

The ambitious free meals programme was a key part of Prabowo's campaign to win the presidency in 2024, with the government budgeting at least $15 billion to provide free meals to 83 million children and pregnant women across the sprawling archipelago.

Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, an AGO official, told reporters that Dadan was named as a suspect in a corruption case linked to the governance of the free meals programme.

Dadan allegedly influenced the selection of several foundations managing the programme's kitchens even though they had not met standards, Syarief said, adding that he owned those foundations through external parties.

He was also allegedly involved in the marked up procurement of items including more than 21,000 electric motorbikes, 32,000 pairs of shoes, and 5,400 televisions.

The two other former agency officials were arrested for the same alleged crimes, Syarief said. The extent of the state's losses were still being calculated, he added.

Reuters could not immediately contact the legal representatives of the suspects. Dadan did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The agency said after the arrests that it would respect the ongoing legal process, adding that its focus is on properly and transparently carrying out the free meals programme.