The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the devastating cough syrup tragedy in Madhya Pradesh has arrested Jyoti Soni, wife of accused doctor Praveen Soni, from her Parasia residence in Chhindwara district late Monday night. As the proprietor of a local medical shop that dispensed the contaminated Coldrif syrup to multiple victims, her detention marks the seventh arrest in a case that has shaken the nation, with 24 young lives—mostly children under five—lost to acute kidney failure after consuming the toxic formulation.

Dr Praveen Soni, a Chhindwara-based physician, was taken into custody last month for recklessly prescribing Coldrif despite visible warnings of adverse effects among his pediatric patients. Investigations revealed that his wife’s pharmacy served as a key distribution point for the deadly batch, directly linking the couple to the supply chain that delivered the poisoned medicine into innocent homes. The SIT, led by Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Jitendra Jaat, confirmed her role in stocking and selling the syrup without adequate quality checks.

Coldrif, manufactured by Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharma, was found to contain a staggering 48.6 percent diethylene glycol—a lethal industrial solvent—far exceeding the safe limit of 0.1 percent, as confirmed by lab tests on October 5. The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Drugs Control had already flagged the syrup as substandard three days earlier, prompting an immediate license revocation for Sresan and the sealing of its production unit. The tragedy also claimed at least three lives in neighboring Rajasthan, amplifying national outrage.

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Among the arrested are Sresan Pharma owner G Ranganathan, medical representative Satish Verma, chemist K Maheshwari, wholesaler Rajesh Soni, and pharmacist Sourabh Jain—exposing a multi-layered network of negligence and profiteering. In response, the World Health Organization issued a global alert against Coldrif and two other tainted Indian syrups, Respifresh TR and ReLife, while sales were banned across ten states and union territories including Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, and Delhi.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav vowed strict action, suspending the state’s drug controller and assistant controller for failing to detect the contamination during routine sampling. The formation of the SIT underscores the government’s commitment to accountability, as authorities race to prevent further casualties and ensure justice for grieving families whose trust in everyday medicine has been tragically shattered.

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