Cough syrup deaths: MP court sends TN-based firm owner to 10-day police custody

Ranganathan Govindan, owner of Tamil Nadu-based Srisen Pharma Which is linked to contaminated cough syrup ‘Coldrif’ More than 20 children died In Madhya Pradesh, a court here on Friday sent him to 10-day police custody.

Ranganathan was produced before Additional Sessions Judge Gautam Gurjar in Parasia town after he was brought on transit remand from a Chennai court in the southern state on Thursday by a special investigation team formed by the MP government, SIT chief Jitendra Jat said.

Jat told PTI, the court has sent Ranganathan Govindan to 10-day police remand.

Additional Collector Dhirendra Singh Netri said that so far 22 children have died due to contaminated Coldrif syrup.

According to officials, these children from Chhindwara and other districts died due to suspected kidney failure, linked to the consumption of ‘toxic’ Coldrif cough syrup, adding that some of the children from the state are undergoing treatment in Nagpur in neighboring Maharashtra.

Jat said, the factory where cough syrup was made has been sealed.

In action related to the episode, which made national headlines, the Mohan Yadav government earlier this week suspended two drug inspectors and a deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

It also transferred the state drug controller amid the investigation into the children’s deaths, while police arrested Chhindwara-based Dr Praveen Soni for alleged negligence.

Soni’s bail plea was rejected by a Persian court on Wednesday. Incidentally, the Indian Medical Association has protested against the arrest of Dr Soni and its members have worn black bands in protest.