MP syrup tragedy: Court sends pharma proprietor to 10-day police custody

Chhindwara, Oct 10 (IANS) A district court in Madhya Pradesh on Friday sent Sresan Pharma proprietor Govindan Ranganathan to 10-day police custody in the deadly cough syrup case, which has left 25 children dead in the state.

On Thursday, the pharma proprietor was arrested in Tamil Nadu and brought to Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara and was produced before the district court amid tight security by police on Friday.

Rangnathan, who has manufactured Coldrif cough syrup, killed 23 children so far in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara. Shocked by the deaths, locals present at the court premises demanded death punishment for him.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Madhya Pradesh demanded 10-day custody of Rangnathan for further investigation, which the court granted, advocate Shyam Shahu told media persons outside the court.

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

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

Twenty-three children died in Madhya Pradesh after drinking the adulterated cough syrup. As many as 23 children were from Chhindwara district, two from Betul. Five children affected by the adulterated syrup are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Nagpur.

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.

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.

The Tamil Nadu government, which ordered the closure of the firm after the spurious cough syrup Coldrif claimed lives, announced that it would decide soon on permanently cancelling the company’s licence.

–IANS

pd/dan