New Delhi: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe into the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly caused by the consumption of toxic cough syrup.
The petition, filed by Advocate Vishal Tiwari, has requested the court to appoint a retired Supreme Court judge to monitor the investigation and inquiry into the manufacture, regulation, testing, and distribution of contaminated cough syrups.
It also sought the constitution of a National Judicial Commission or Expert Committee, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the presence of toxic compounds—Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol (EG)—in cough syrups, which have previously led to several fatalities.
The plea urged the Centre to set up such a body to investigate regulatory lapses that allowed substandard cough syrups to reach the market and to recommend stronger safeguards to prevent similar incidents. The proposed panel should include experts in pharmacology, toxicology, and drug regulation, the petition suggested.
Additionally, the PIL sought the transfer of all pending FIRs and investigations related to the child deaths caused by poisonous cough syrups in various states to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to be conducted under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge, ensuring a coordinated and impartial probe.
Highlighting fragmented accountability from state-level inquiries, the petition noted that multiple instances of toxic formulations continue to reach consumers.
According to reports, several children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan died after consuming Coldrif Cough Syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharma Pvt. Ltd., a Tamil Nadu-based pharmaceutical company.
The plea further sought directions to recall, seize, and ban the sale and distribution of all batches of Coldrif Cough Syrup and other formulations produced by Sresan Pharma Pvt. Ltd. or its related entities until their safety is verified by independent NABL-accredited laboratories.
It also called on the Centre to conduct nationwide mandatory testing of all syrup-based medicines for DEG and EG contamination and to publicly release the results to ensure transparency and consumer safety.
Finally, the PIL urged that manufacturing licences of companies found guilty of producing or distributing contaminated drugs be suspended or cancelled, and that criminal prosecution be initiated against those responsible for the deaths.
