Owner of Sresan Pharma Apprehended in Chennai
G. Ranganathan, the 75-year-old owner of Sresan Pharma (also known as Sresan Pharmaceuticals), was arrested early on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at his residence in Chennai, India. The arrest was a joint operation by police from Chennai and Madhya Pradesh, following an investigation into the deaths of at least 21 children allegedly caused by contaminated cough syrup manufactured by his company.
Ranganathan faces serious charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and adulteration of drugs. The incident has cast a spotlight on drug quality control within India's pharmaceutical industry, the world's third-largest producer of drugs by volume.
Toxic Contamination Identified in 'Coldrif' Syrup
The cough syrup at the center of the tragedy is branded as 'Coldrif'. Laboratory tests conducted by the Indian health ministry and the Tamil Nadu Director of Drugs Control confirmed that samples of the syrup were contaminated with diethylene glycol (DEG). DEG is a highly toxic substance commonly used in industrial solvents and antifreeze agents, and it can be fatal even when ingested in small amounts, particularly for children.
Reports indicate that the contaminated batch of Coldrif syrup contained diethylene glycol levels as high as 48.6 percent, which is approximately 480 times the permissible limit of 0.1 percent. Most of the child victims, all aged under five, died in Madhya Pradesh state, predominantly in the Chhindwara district, over the past month after being prescribed the syrup.
Investigation and Regulatory Response
Following the confirmation of contamination, the Tamil Nadu government issued a stop-production order for Sresan Pharma on October 3 and temporarily revoked the company's manufacturing license. The sale of Coldrif cough syrup and all other medicines manufactured by Sresan Pharma has been banned in several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
The manufacturing unit of Sresan Pharma, located in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, has been sealed, and the company's registered office in Kodambakkam remains shut. Investigations revealed that the pharma unit allegedly failed to procure pharma-grade propylene glycol, a key ingredient, instead sourcing substandard material containing DEG as an impurity. Two senior state drug inspectors, Deepa Joseph and K Karthikeyan, have been suspended for alleged inaction and failure to inspect the unit.
Ranganathan was produced before the Saidapet magistrate court in Chennai, which granted a transit remand, allowing Madhya Pradesh police officials to take him to Chhindwara for further interrogation. Two staff members, manager Jayaraman and lab assistant Mageshwari, were also apprehended and interrogated in connection with the case.
Broader Implications for India's Pharmaceutical Sector
This incident is not isolated, drawing renewed scrutiny to India's drug regulations. In recent years, cough syrups manufactured in India have been linked to child deaths in other countries, including over 70 children in Gambia in 2022 and 68 children in Uzbekistan between 2022 and 2023. These events have damaged India's reputation as a major global pharmaceutical supplier and underscore the urgent need for stringent quality control and regulatory reforms within the industry.
6 Comments
Bella Ciao
Where were the inspectors? This tragedy was entirely preventable if regulations were enforced.
Muchacha
One arrest doesn't fix the rotten system. How many more companies are doing this?
Mariposa
Good riddance! Lock him up and throw away the key. No sympathy for corporate greed.
Coccinella
High time someone faced consequences for such a heinous crime. Hope it's a harsh sentence.
Bermudez
Excellent police work. Accountability is paramount when lives are at stake.
paracelsus
Seeing accountability for the Sresan Pharma owner is good, but the fact that similar incidents have happened internationally suggests a deep-rooted problem in India's pharmaceutical manufacturing standards that needs more than reactive measures.