Cough Syrup Deaths: Sresan Pharma Owner Brought To Madhya Pradesh, Sent To 10-Day Police Custody

Chhindwara: The owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, a Tamil Nadu-based firm that made a cough syrup linked to the deaths of 22 children in Madhya Pradesh, was remanded to 10 days of police custody by a court in Chhindwara on Friday.

Earlier, Govindan Ranganathan was brought to Madhya Pradesh. On Thursday, a special investigation team (SIT) from Madhya Pradesh, assisted by the Chennai police, arrested Ranganathan in the case. Thereafter, Ranganathan was produced before the Saidapet magistrate court, which granted a transit remand before he was taken to Chhindwara by Madhya Pradesh police officials.

Two senior state drug inspectors, meanwhile, were suspended for their alleged inaction. The Tamil Nadu government, which ordered the closure of the firm after the spurious cough syrup Coldrif claimed many lives in Madhya Pradesh, announced that it would decide soon on permanently cancelling the company's licence.

Ranganathan was produced in the Parasia court in Chhindwara amid a tight police presence outside the court premises. Earlier, Ranganathan was flown from Chennai to Nagpur by a Madhya Pradesh SIT team. From Nagpur Airport, Ranganathan was brought to Chhindwara by car under tight police security at around 7 a.m.

SIT to interrogate the accused

According to police sources, a request will be made to the court to take the pharmaceutical company owner on police remand. During the interrogation, Ranganathan is expected to face probing questions from various angles.

He will be asked about the irregularities committed in the production of the Coldrift cough syrup and those involved in selling adulterated cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh.

Ranganathan constantly changed locations

According to police, Ranganathan went underground and was trying to flee abroad. However, after a mad search, the Madhya Pradesh Special Investigation Team arrested Ranganathan in Chennai. To arrest Ranganathan, Chhindwara police formed a 12-member Special Investigation Team.

A six-member team went to Chennai and arrested him. He was constantly changing his location to avoid arrest.

Medical examination before court appearance

Chhindwara SP Ajay Pandey said, "A medical examination will be conducted at the Parasia Civil Hospital. After the medical examination, the accused will be produced before the Parasia Civil Court, and the police will seek remand for further questioning. If the court grants remand, the accused will be questioned in connection with the case, which is expected to reveal many details. Meanwhile, the doctor who wrote the prescription, Praveen Soni, is already in judicial custody."

Twenty-two children died in Madhya Pradesh after drinking the adulterated cough syrup. As many as 19 children were from Chhindwara district, two from Betul, and one from Padhurna. Five children affected by the adulterated syrup are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Nagpur.

Several officers suspended

Taking serious note of the children's deaths, the government has suspended three officials: Shobhit Kosta, deputy drug controller, Drug Administration, Bhopal; Sharad Jain, drug inspector, Jabalpur, and Gaurav Sharma, drug inspector, Chhindwara.

Delhi govt bans sale, distribution of Coldrif

The Delhi government has banned the sale, purchase and distribution of Coldrif cough syrup after it was declared "not of standard quality", an official order said.

According to the order issued on Friday, Coldrif Syrup (Paracetamol, Phenylephrine Hydrochloride, Chlorpheniramine Maleate Syrup), manufactured in May 2025 by Sresan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, Tamil Nadu, was found to be adulterated with Diethylene Glycol (46.28 per cent w/v), a toxic chemical known to be harmful to human health.

All stakeholders are directed to immediately stop selling, purchasing, or distributing the said batch of the syrup. The general public has also been advised not to use the product, given its potential health risks, the order said. The assistance of all stakeholders is sought for the strict implementation and wide dissemination of the public advisory, which has been issued in public interest, it said.

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