BHOPAL: The probe that claimed the lives of 20 kids from Chhindwara and three from other districts is examining the entire supply chain of the cough syrup — from procurement of raw materials to distribution of the contaminated drug — aiming to fix accountability at every stage.
Investigators confirmed that Ranganathan Govindan, owner of TN-based , had procured banned industrial-grade diethylene glycol for manufacturing Coldrif. The SIT is now trying to determine how long the chemical had been in use and whether other individuals or suppliers were complicit in the process.Ranganathan initially feigned ignorance about the cause of contamination, claiming he had delegated production responsibilities to subordinates.
The Drugs Controller General of India Friday made it mandatory for all raw materials and finished pharmaceutical products to be tested for diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG). Testing was earlier required only on raw materials, leaving a gap for toxic solvents to enter the manufacturing process.
Ranganathan Govindan, owner of TNbased Sresan Pharmaceuticals, initially said he had no direct knowledge of how the industrial chemical entered the formulation. However, after sustained interrogation, Ranganathan reportedly confessed.
“He has identified the person in charge of quality control, who will be detained soon. But this does not absolve Ranganathan of responsibility — he was the signatory authority and owner of the unit,” said a senior officer privy to the probe. The 12-member SIT, led by additional superintendent of police Anjana Tiwari, includes senior police officials and drug control officers. The team has divided its work among sub-groups — one focusing on the manufacturing trail in Tamil Nadu, another on the distribution and retail network in MP, and a third on forensic and toxicological analysis.
“We are also looking into the factory’s production system — whether it was automated or semi-automated — besides examining if there was any sabotage angle,” an officer said, adding the technical team is reviewing machinery logs and batch production records to detect irregularities in the blending and testing process. Officials said more arrests are likely as the SIT expands its investigation to include the quality control team, raw material suppliers, and logistics handlers.
Tamil Nadu authorities have already sealed Sresan Pharmaceuticals’ manufacturing unit in Sunguvarchatram, Kanchipuram district, after laboratory tests confirmed 48.6% DEG content in the syrup. “This case has exposed deep systemic failures — not just negligence, but a collapse of safety and compliance mechanisms. The probe will continue until every link in the chain is held accountable,” an Special Investigation Team member said. Meanwhile, three children remain in critical condition at hospitals in Nagpur. Teams of doctors and Madhya Pradesh health officials are monitoring their condition round the clock.
