Nagpur: In a dramatic turn of events, G. Ranganathan, director of Tamil Nadu–based Sresan Pharmaceuticals, was flown to Nagpur from Chennai early Friday and immediately handed over to the Madhya Pradesh Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the toxic syrup tragedy that has claimed 23 innocent lives, all children below five years of age.
The accused was swiftly escorted out of Nagpur airport amid chaos, as media personnel tried to question him. Police swiftly bundled him into a vehicle and headed straight for Parasia, Madhya Pradesh, a route now marked by grief and fury since the first deaths were reported 46 days ago.
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Ranganathan was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (Lower) Court in Parasia, around 148 km from Nagpur, under heavy police security. The court remanded him to 10 days’ police custody till October 20.
In Parasia, every household bears a reminder of the tragedy. Among the few surviving children is two-year-old Prateek Pawar, whose recovery after 45 days of critical treatment in Nagpur is being hailed as nothing short of a miracle. “Doctors had given up hope, but Prateek fought back,” said his mother, Usha Pawar, her voice trembling with emotion.
For dozens of other families, however, there was no such miracle. The contaminated ‘Coldrif’ syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals, led to acute kidney failure in toddlers who consumed it.
Investigations have exposed a web of negligence, fraud, and regulatory failure. Sresan Pharma had produced over 45 formulations, including Coldrif, that were distributed across multiple states without mandatory quality testing.
Tests confirmed the presence of diethylene glycol (DEG), a lethal industrial solvent used in brake fluids and antifreeze, in the syrup. The toxin caused irreversible kidney damage, leading to multiple deaths.
Investigators also found that Sresan Pharma was not listed in the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) database, a glaring red flag that raises questions on how its products entered the supply chain undetected.
Sources said Ranganathan’s company had earlier faced regulatory scrutiny in the 1980s for similar irregularities, but managed to continue operations under the radar.
Facing Sections 105 (culpable homicide) and 276 (drug contamination) of the IPC, along with Section 27A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Ranganathan appeared calm in court. Local lawyers refused to represent him, forcing him to defend himself.
He claimed to suffer from diabetes and hypertension, and alleged that his firm supplied medicines to five states but only Madhya Pradesh reported fatalities. Due to his fluctuating sugar levels, a medical team examined him at the Parasia Police Station before he was produced in court in the evening, said Advocate Mukesh Mourya, who was present during proceedings.
Speaking to reporters, Chhindwara SP Ajay Pandey confirmed that Ranganathan’s interrogation will focus on manufacturing processes, sourcing of raw materials, and the distribution network. “For now, we have secured police custody and will begin detailed questioning. We may have to take him back to Tamil Nadu since most of the documents, machines, and raw material samples are located there,” Pandey said.
The SIT suspects forged approvals, fake testing certificates, and a wider inter-state drug racket behind the tragedy, one that has now become a chilling reminder of how corporate greed and regulatory apathy can destroy innocent lives.
