In a major breakthrough in the probe into the deaths of at least 20 children in Madhya Pradesh (MP) linked to a toxic batch of cough syrup, police have arrested G Ranganathan, the owner of the Chennai-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals that manufactured the medicine.
Mr Ranganathan, 75, proprietor of Sresan Pharmaceuticals—the company behind the Coldrif cough syrup—was apprehended from his Kodambakkam residence in Chennai during a midnight operation jointly conducted by the MP and Tamil Nadu (TN) police. Officials say he was taken into custody around 12.30am on Thursday and would be transported to MP for further questioning after completing legal formalities in Chennai.
The arrest follows weeks of investigation after children from several districts, including Chhindwara, Betul and Pandhurna, died after consuming Coldrif syrup. Many of the young victims, prescribed the medicine for common cough and cold symptoms, developed acute kidney failure within days of taking it. At least 40 other children remain under medical observation.
Laboratory tests revealed that samples of Coldrif contained dangerously high levels of diethylene glycol (DEG)—a toxic industrial solvent used in paints and antifreeze but banned in pharmaceuticals. The Chennai Drug Testing Laboratory confirmed the presence of 48.6% DEG by volume, declaring the sample 'not of standard quality' and 'poisonous'. Ingestion of DEG is known to cause irreversible kidney damage and death, particularly in children.
Police say Mr Ranganathan and his wife had been absconding since the deaths came to light. A special investigation team (SIT) from Chhindwara, comprising police officers cyber experts, and drug inspectors, tracked him down after monitoring his bank transactions and mobile signals. Their meticulous operation ended with his arrest early Thursday.
Following the tragedy, the MP government immediately banned the sale and distribution of Coldrif across the state, while the Union ministry of health directed all states to seize existing stocks. TN's drug control department has launched statewide raids amid reports that over 2,000 bottles of the syrup may still be circulating in retail and wholesale markets. Drug inspectors have been instructed to confiscate all samples and send them for laboratory analysis.
Officials are also investigating whether Sresan Pharmaceuticals violated manufacturing norms or falsified quality certifications. Preliminary findings suggest the company, originally registered as a private limited entity in 1990 but later struck off from the corporate register, continued operating as a proprietary firm without proper regulatory approval.
MP's deputy chief minister and health minister Rajendra Shukla confirmed the deaths, saying, “Twenty children have lost their lives in the unfortunate incident from Chhindwara, Betul and Pandhurna districts. The government has taken this matter very seriously, and strict action is being taken against all responsible parties.”
The drugs controller general of India (DCGI) has issued an advisory to all states and Union Territories (UTs), emphasising the need for rigorous testing of raw materials and excipients used in the production of pharmaceutical formulations. The regulator has called for strict compliance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, to prevent similar tragedies from recurring.
According to police, the investigation would now expand to trace the entire supply chain — from chemical suppliers and production staff to distributors and retailers — to determine how the tainted syrup reached the market.
Mr Ranganathan’s arrest marks a significant step in the widening probe into what authorities describe as one of the deadliest cases of pharmaceutical negligence in recent years.
