India’s Supreme Court rejected a petition that wanted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the deaths of children who swallowed toxic cough syrup. The decision came after a short hearing on Friday, with the bench chaired by Chief Justice B. R. Gavai turning down the case.
The petition, filed by lawyer Vishal Tiwari, argued that several children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan died after drinking a cold‑syrup called Coldrif. The syrup was produced by Sresan Pharma Pvt. Ltd., a company based in Tamil Nadu. Test reports say the medicine was contaminated with Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol (EG)—dangerous chemicals that have killed people before.
Tiwari said that the government has already launched its own investigations, but that those probes were split up and not thorough. He asked the Supreme Court to set up a national commission led by a retired Supreme Court judge, with experts in drug safety, to look over the whole process of manufacturing, testing and distributing cough syrups. He also wanted the court to order the Centre to hand all pending local investigations over to the CBI, so the probe would be impartial and coordinated.
In court, the Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, said state governments in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and others would take necessary steps on their own and that the states could not be trusted to act alone. “They will take steps, but we cannot rely on them,” Mehta said. He also cautioned the petition, implying that it seemed like a repeat of the same plea made by many others.
Chief Justice Gavai asked Tiwari how many public interest litigations he had filed before. When Tiwari answered “eight to ten,” the court dismissed the petition.
The petition also called for:
* Immediate recall and seizure of all Coldrif batches and any other syrup from Sresan Pharma until independent laboratory tests prove they are safe.
* Nationwide mandatory testing of all syrup medicines for DEG and EG, with the results posted online for public safety.
* Suspension or cancellation of licences for any companies found making or distributing tainted medicines, and criminal charges against those responsible for the child deaths.
The case highlights ongoing concerns over drug safety in India. After the Supreme Court’s dismissal, state officials must now lead the investigations, and the CBI may still play a role if the Centre orders it to take over. The public awaits a decisive action that will restore confidence in India’s pharmaceutical regulations and protect children from dangerous cough syrups.
Source: aninews
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