The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has deepened its investigation into graft linked to Indonesia's free nutrition initiative by taking two additional suspects into custody. On Friday (June 12), investigators arrested Andri Mulyono, a commissioner at logistics company PT Yasa Artha Trimanunggal (YAT), on suspicion of involvement in the multitrillion-rupiah programme. The arrests follow the earlier detention of three former National Nutrition Agency (BGN) executives who oversaw the scheme.

Andri is accused of manipulating procurement costs for approximately 21,000 electric motorcycles designated for kitchens operating the free meals service across the country. Prosecutors allege he artificially inflated prices to match the BGN's budget ceiling of Rp 1.03 trillion (US$58.2 million), allowing him to pocket illicit gains through the falsified tender process. Investigation director Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi of the Special Crimes unit said Andri profited unlawfully from the scheme.

The case has extended to another businessman, Asep Yusuf Somantri, who was arrested earlier. Authorities believe he leveraged connections with former BGN deputy Sony Sonjaya to interfere with screening procedures for prospective programme partners. Investigators allege he used this influence to approve kitchen registrations and handle applications submitted past the official deadline. The five suspects now include Sony, fellow former deputy Lodewyk Pusung, and previous BGN head Dadan Hindayana, all detained on June 3 following their dismissal by President Prabowo Subianto.

The investigation has revealed broader complications affecting the programme. Prosecutors are preparing to interview Sony again regarding his bid to become a justice collaborator, potentially revealing connections to over 20 additional individuals implicated in the case. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa announced that no fresh purchases of electric motorcycles will occur in 2026, attributing the previous approval to miscommunication within the ministry.

The free meals initiative, intended to feed more than 80 million schoolchildren and pregnant women to combat malnutrition, has faced mounting criticism since launching in early 2025. The scheme has been shadowed by at least 33,000 recorded food-poisoning cases and public backlash over its procurement practices. Student protests last week, branded #MenujuIndonesiaBangkrut (Indonesia heading for bankruptcy), demanded programme suspension, citing misplaced priorities given the rupiah's weakness.

Government Communications Agency head Muhammad Qodari defended the initiative on Saturday, stating it would continue despite implementation challenges. He characterised difficulties as unavoidable in any large programme and stressed that problems require evaluation rather than abandonment. The government maintains the scheme remains vital for reducing stunting among the population.