The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted searches at seven locations in Chennai, targeting premises linked to Sreesan Pharma and senior officials of the Tamil Nadu Drug Control Department, as part of an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The raids were connected to the Coldrif cough syrup case, which has been linked to the deaths of at least 22 children in Madhya Pradesh due to suspected acute renal failure.
ED officials stated that the searches included the residences of senior Tamil Nadu drug control officers and properties associated with Sreesan Pharma, the manufacturer of the toxic Coldrif syrup. The case has triggered widespread public outrage across India, highlighting significant lapses in regulatory oversight and quality control within the pharmaceutical industry.
The ED’s actions follow the arrest of G Ranganathan, the 73-year-old owner of Chennai-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals, which produced the Coldrif syrup. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) identified multiple violations by both Sresan Pharma and the Tamil Nadu Food and Drug Administration (TNFDA).
Also Read: West Bengal bans Coldrif after child deaths in other states
Despite inadequate infrastructure and repeated safety violations, Sresan Pharmaceuticals had been operating without scrutiny since obtaining its license in 2011.
The Coldrif syrup was found to contain lethal levels of diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical commonly used in antifreeze, leading to its ban in several states. The contamination is believed to have caused acute renal failure in children, most of whom were prescribed the syrup for mild cough and fever symptoms.
Also Read: Coldrif syrup case: Probe exposes lapses by Tamil Nadu FDA
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