In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition that had called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the tragic deaths of at least 21 children in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district. These fatalities were reportedly linked to the consumption of a contaminated cough syrup.
A bench, led by Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, decided not to entertain the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari. This decision came after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta raised objections, suggesting that the matter did not necessitate the apex court’s direct intervention.
Solicitor General Mehta contended that the state governments of Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were already fully equipped to handle the situation. He stated, “I am not appearing in this case, but I can say with confidence that the states involved — Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, are capable of taking all effective steps.” He also commented that the petitioner is known for filing cases based on newspaper reports.
When questioned by the bench regarding his track record, the petitioner’s lawyer mentioned having filed eight to ten PILs previously. Following this exchange, the court summarily dismissed the plea.
The devastating series of events began when several children in Chhindwara fell ill after taking a cough syrup named Coldrif, manufactured by Sresan Pharma Pvt Ltd, a company based in Tamil Nadu. Tragically, many developed acute renal failure, and 21 children succumbed to the illness. Subsequent laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Diethylene Glycol (DEG) in the syrup. DEG is a highly toxic industrial chemical, strictly prohibited for pharmaceutical use, known to cause kidney failure and death.
Concerns about the potential widespread nature of this contamination arose as similar cases were reported from Nagpur, Maharashtra. In response, the owner of the pharmaceutical company, 75-year-old G Ranganathan, was arrested in Chennai by police from Madhya Pradesh and the city.
Advocate Tiwari’s petition had sought a CBI investigation not only for the Chhindwara incident but also for similar cases emerging in other states. He also requested the Supreme Court to monitor the investigation through a former judge of the top court to ensure impartiality.
Furthermore, the plea called for a nationwide recall and ban on all batches of contaminated cough syrup, along with mandatory testing of all syrup-based formulations available in the market. The lawyer also urged the court to order compensation for the affected families and establish a National Pharmacovigilance Portal as a real-time alert system for unsafe medicines.
The petition emphasized the constitutional right to health and life under Article 21, stating, “No medicine meant to heal should ever become an instrument of death.” It also highlighted that the World Health Organization (WHO) had previously warned India about the dangers of DEG and Ethylene Glycol contamination, yet systemic reforms had not followed.