Police in Madhya Pradesh have alleged that a government doctor received a 10% commission from the manufacturer of the toxic Coldrif cough syrup linked to the deaths of several children in Chhindwara district.
Dr. Praveen Soni, who was arrested earlier this month, allegedly took the commission from Sresan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, a Tamil Nadu-based company that produced the contaminated syrup. The police submitted the findings to a sessions court during his bail hearing.
On Monday, the Tamil Nadu government closed Sresan Pharmaceutical and revoked its manufacturing licence. The Enforcement Directorate also conducted raids at several of the company’s properties.
Additional Sessions Judge Gautam Kumar Gujar denied Dr. Soni’s bail on October 8, stating that the doctor “knowingly prescribed and allowed administration of a dangerous adulterated drug that could cause child deaths, even after the government issued a directive in December 2023 banning such drugs for children under four.”
Police said the Directorate General of Health Services had banned the use of Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) syrups for children under four in December last year. “Despite this, Dr. Soni continued prescribing Coldrif syrup, even after reports of urine retention and kidney failure among children,” the investigation report stated.
At least 15 children treated by Dr. Soni have died, according to the police report. The children, mostly under five years old, had been given the syrup for cough and fever. After taking it, several developed kidney complications and were referred to Nagpur hospitals, where many died between September and October.
Dr. Soni denied all allegations. His lawyer, Pawan Kumar Shukla, said, “He prescribed medicines in good faith as a government doctor. The quality of drugs is the Drug Controller’s responsibility.”
Police are also investigating Dr. Soni’s family members, who own a nearby medical store and allegedly stocked Coldrif syrup.
Sresan’s owner, G. Ranganathan, has been taken into custody by a special investigation team for further questioning in Tamil Nadu.
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