Chennai: In the wake of deaths of several children who consumed the Coldrif cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, a special investigation team on Thursday arrested G Ranganathan the proprietor of the syrup manufacturer Sresan Pharmaceuticals from Chennai. The pharma company, located in Sunguvachathram in neighbouring Kancheepuram district has already been sealed.
Two Drug Inspectors Suspended for Negligence
In a related development, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said two Drug Inspectors have been suspended for dereliction of duty in checking the quality of the cough syrup.
Madhya Pradesh SIT Nabs Pharma Owner from Chennai
Sources said Ranganathan was picked up from his house in Kodambakkam by a Madhya Pradesh SIT in coordination with the local Ashok Nagar Police. He was produced before the jurisdictional magistrate in Saidapet. The joint team also searched the company’s manufacturing unit to examine product records and samples.
Contaminated Batch SR-13 Found with Toxic DEG Substance
Earlier this month, following deaths of children, the Madhya Pradesh authorities had alerted the Tamil Nadu Health Department about the manufacture of contaminated cough syrup from Sresan Pharmaceuitcals.
The Health Minister told journalists batch number SR-13 manufactured by the company were found to be contaminated when it was tested at the Government Drugs Testing Laboratory in Chennai. They were declared “not of standard quality” and found to be adulterated with Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a toxic substance harmful to health.
Tamil Nadu Detected Contamination, Issued Stop Production Order
“Once testing confirmed the contamination, we promptly informed the Madhya Pradesh authorities and the Union Health Ministry. Additionally, officials in Odisha and Puducherry were alerted based on the distribution records. While Madhya Pradesh and the Union Health Minister initially found no issues with the syrup, it was Tamil Nadu that detected the presence of DEG and confirmed the extent of contamination. Based on these findings, we immediately issued a Stop Production Order to the manufacturer on October 3. A closure order was also issued,” Subramanian said.
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Officials Failed to Monitor Pharma Unit for Two Years
The two suspended Drug Inspectors had failed to carry out quality checks and monitor the pharma unit over the past two years, the Minister said.
