The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Madhya Pradesh government conducted a late-night raid between Wednesday and Thursday in Chennai, apprehending Ranganathan and his wife. A reward of ₹20,000 had been announced for his capture. Authorities also sealed his 2,000 sq. ft. apartment on the Chennai–Bengaluru highway, while his Kodambakkam-registered office was found locked.
Death Toll Rises to 24
The death toll from the toxic syrup continues to climb. On Wednesday night, three-year-old Mayank Suryavanshi from Pachdhar village, Umreth Tehsil, Chhindwara, died of kidney failure while undergoing treatment at Nagpur Medical College, where he had been admitted on September 25.
Investigation Reveals Use of Toxic, Non-Pharma Grade Chemicals
Tests conducted by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Drugs Control confirmed that Coldrif syrup was produced using non-pharmaceutical grade chemicals unfit for human consumption.
Ranganathan reportedly admitted that the company had purchased 100 kg (two 50-kg bags) of propylene glycol — a toxic industrial-grade chemical — without maintaining invoices or purchase records. Payments were made in cash and through GPay.
Laboratory analysis revealed that the syrup contained Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol (EG) at levels 486 times higher than the permissible limit.
An expert noted, “This concentration is not only fatal for children but strong enough to damage the kidneys and brains of large animals, including elephants.”
The investigation further revealed that Sresan Pharma had procured the propylene glycol on March 25, 2025, from Sunrise Biotech, Chennai, without verifying its purity or toxicity levels—a violation of drug manufacturing standards.
Attempts to Destroy Evidence
During an inspection, officials from the Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department found that the company had used the entire stock of contaminated propylene glycol, raising suspicions that the chemical was quickly consumed to destroy evidence. Investigators also discovered that several other medicines had been made using the same substandard material.
Authorities stressed that the probe was crucial for public health and safety, as drugs produced with such chemicals pose a deadly risk to both children and adults.
Batch Linked to Chhindwara Deaths
The SIT recovered 589 bottles (60 ml each) of Coldrif syrup, batch number SR-13, which had been distributed in Chhindwara. Children who consumed syrup from this batch suffered kidney failure and brain swelling, resulting in multiple deaths.
The batch was manufactured in May 2025 and had an expiry date of April 2027.
Other Syrups Seized from Sresan Pharma
Investigators also confiscated 5,870 bottles of other Sresan Pharma syrups from the company’s manufacturing unit, including:
- 1,534 bottles of Respolight D
- 2,800 bottles of Respolight GL
- 736 bottles of Respolight ST
- 800 bottles of Hepasandin syrup
Preliminary lab tests suggest that these syrups meet standard quality norms, unlike the contaminated Coldrif batch that caused the child fatalities.
