Toxic Cough Syrup Tragedy,Supreme Court Rejects National Probe, States Launch Crackdown

The syrup, produced by Sresan Pharma Pvt. Ltd. in Tamil Nadu, was administered to infants suffering from cold and cough, leading to acute renal failure and death. 

On 10 October 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry, with the Chief Justice and Justice K Vinod Chandran ruling that state authorities are sufficiently equipped to manage investigations and enforce accountability. The public interest litigation (PIL), filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, also sought a nationwide ban and immediate recall of toxic syrups; however, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued for state competence, noting Tamil Nadu’s swift action in sealing the factory and banning the drug.

Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and other states subsequently initiated their own bans and independent investigations, while drug controllers are raiding wholesalers and conducting toxicology tests in government labs to monitor all syrups from the implicated manufacturer. Health experts warn that fragmented state-level accountability continues to allow hazardous formulations onto the market, raising concerns about India’s overall drug safety protocols and regulatory responses. The tragedy has spurred calls for reform of both the drug approval process and the monitoring of pharmaceutical production nationwide.