Commission-Linked Cough Syrup Tragedy Exposes Deep Flaws in India’s Drug Oversight

A government doctor arrested in connection with the deaths of multiple children from a contaminated cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district allegedly received a 10% commission for prescribing the drug, police informed a sessions court on Monday. The case has spotlighted regulatory lapses in pharmaceutical distribution, echoing national concerns over adulterated medicines that have claimed young lives across India.

Dr Praveen Soni, a paediatrician at the Government Community Health Centre in Parasia, faces charges under the Indian Penal Code for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. According to the police probe report submitted during his bail hearing before Additional Sessions Judge Gautam Kumar Gujar, Soni prescribed Sresan Pharmaceutical's Coldrif syrup despite a December 2023 directive from the Directorate General of Health Services prohibiting fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) for children under four years old. The report alleges that 15 children died under his treatment after consuming the syrup, which was later found contaminated with toxic diethylene glycol—a substance previously implicated in similar fatalities, including the 2022 Gambia outbreak where over 60 children perished.

The contamination surfaced when children treated for common ailments like cough and fever developed severe symptoms, including urinary retention, elevated creatinine and urea levels, and acute kidney failure. Several were referred to Nagpur, where they succumbed in September and October. An FIR lodged on October 4 named Soni, Sresan directors, and a Jabalpur wholesaler, based on a complaint from Parasia block medical officer Dr Ankit Sehgal. In response, the Tamil Nadu government shut down Sresan Pharmaceutical on Monday and revoked its licence, while the Enforcement Directorate raided company premises. Ranganathan, the firm's owner, was taken to Tamil Nadu by a Madhya Pradesh Special Investigation Team for questioning.

Also Read: 17 Tonnes of Honey, Crores in Gold: Madhya Pradesh Engineer’s Corruption Empire Stuns Investigators

Soni denied the allegations, with his lawyer Pawan Kumar Shukla arguing in court that the doctor, with 35–40 years of experience, had no knowledge of the batch's toxicity and that quality control falls under the Drug Controller's purview. However, police scrutiny has widened to Soni's family, uncovering that relatives own a medical store next to his private clinic and serve as the local stockist for the syrup in Chhindwara. A senior officer noted the investigation will probe wholesalers and distributors further, amid calls for stricter oversight. The incident underscores systemic issues in India's pharmaceutical supply chain, where profit motives often override safety, as highlighted in recent expert opinions urging a broader examination of commercial drivers behind such tragedies.

Also Read: Cough Syrup Tragedy: Death Toll in MP Hits 22, Tamil Nadu Faces Severe Criticism