A seven-member team from Madhya Pradesh arrested G Ranganathan, owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals from Chennai, officials said on Thursday.
CHENNAI: The owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, maker of Coldrif cough medicine, has been arrested from Kodambakkam in Chennai for allegedly causing the deaths of at least 21 children in Madhya Pradesh. G. Ranganathan, 75, was detained from his Kodambakkam residence around midnight by a seven-member team of Madhya Pradesh police with assistance from Ashok Nagar police. After completing transit detention, he will be transferred to Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, where most of the deaths occurred. Meanwhile, the police team will also inspect the company’s manufacturing facility at Sunguvarchatram in Kancheepuram later in the evening. Ranganathan has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, adulteration of narcotic drugs and violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
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Who is G Ranganathan?Ranganathan, 73, a pharmacy graduate from Madras Medical College, has a career spanning over 40 years and initially gained recognition with Pronit, a nutritional syrup widely available in Chennai. In the early 1980s, Ranganathan personally promoted Pronit to pediatricians, emphasizing its benefits for pregnant women. The product gained popularity, but was later flagged by the state drug control department for needing government approval because some of its ingredients require licensing. ALSO READ: Inside the 2,000-square-foot Coldrif factory: Rusting, leaking equipment neglected for 14 years. G Ranganathan’s fatal mistakeRanganathan subsequently obtained the necessary approvals and continued the business, later expanding into liquid nasal products and setting up several small manufacturing units around Chennai. Over the years, he became the head of Sresan Pharmaceuticals and maintained ties with Ceego Labs, while his associates managed Iven Healthcare. Industry insiders note that he mentors young entrepreneurs and until recently was active in the professional community. But this image contrasts sharply with recent developments. His 2,000 sq ft manufacturing facility along the Chennai-Bengaluru highway has been sealed and his registered office in Kodambakkam remains locked. Neighbors said the office, once bustling with visitors, was cleared last week as staff moved equipment and computers late into the night. ‘Toxic cough syrup’Laboratory tests in Tamil Nadu have confirmed that Coldrif cough syrup contains hazardous substances, following which the Madhya Pradesh government has banned the sale of this product along with all other medicines produced by Tamil Nadu-based manufacturer Sresan Pharmaceuticals.This confirmation came from the Tamil Nadu Narcotics Control Director’s report submitted to the Madhya Pradesh government on October 4. The report identified Coldrif Syrup (batch number SR-13, manufactured May 2025, expired April 2027) as “substandard quality” and adulterated, containing 48.6% diethylene glycol (a toxic chemical commonly used in antifreeze and brake fluid that can cause acute kidney failure and death if ingested). It contains. After the report came out, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered an immediate ban on sale, distribution and stock of cold leaf syrup across the state. The ban has been extended to all products manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued emergency orders to drug inspectors to seize existing stocks, stop further sales and collect samples from other batches for testing. Inspectors were instructed to freeze all Coldrif syrup found on the market and ensure that none remained available for sale or distribution. The directive also included halting the sale of all products manufactured by Sresan and collecting legal samples for laboratory analysis. The tragedy first came to light in late August when several children from villages near Parasia and Chhindwara suffered sudden kidney failure after receiving treatment for mild fever and cough. Most of the victims were under 5 years of age. Initial investigations led to a temporary ban on two local brands as a precautionary measure, but a study in Tamil Nadu confirmed that the cause of the poisonings was cold leaf syrup manufactured more than 1,000 km away.
