Ranganathan Govindan, owner of Tamil Nadu’s Sresen Pharma, was sent to 10-day police custody after over 20 children in Madhya Pradesh died due to toxic Coldrif syrup. The factory has been sealed, and investigations continue.
Chhindwara: Ranganathan Govindan, the owner of Tamil Nadu-based Sresen Pharma, which manufactured the contaminated cough syrup ‘Coldrif’ linked to the deaths of more than 20 children in Madhya Pradesh, was on Friday sent to 10-day police custody by a local court here.
Ranganathan, who was arrested on Thursday in Tamil Nadu by a Special Investigative Team (SIT) formed by the Madhya Pradesh government, was produced before Additional Session Judge Gautam Gurjar in Parasia town after being brought on transit remand from a Chennai court, SIT chief Jitendra Jaat said.
Jaat told PTI,
“The court has remanded Ranganathan Govindan in 10-day police remand,”
According to Additional Collector Dhirendra Singh Netri,
“so far 22 children have died because of ‘contaminated’ Coldrif syrup.”
Officials stated that the affected children, from Chhindwara and other districts, died due to suspected kidney failure, which has been linked to the consumption of the ‘toxic’ Coldrif cough syrup.
Some of the children from Madhya Pradesh are currently undergoing treatment in Nagpur, Maharashtra, nearby.
The factory where the syrup was manufactured has been sealed, Jaat added.
In a series of actions taken in connection with this incident, which has received nationwide attention, the Mohan Yadav government earlier this week suspended two drug inspectors and a deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The state’s drug controller was also transferred as the investigation into the children’s deaths continues.
Police have additionally arrested Chhindwara-based Dr Praveen Soni for alleged negligence, and his bail plea was rejected on Wednesday by a court in Parasia.
In response, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) opposed Dr Soni’s arrest, and several of its members wore black bands in protest.
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