G Ranganathan, the Sresan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer – the owner of the company that manufactures Coldrif cough syrup, was arrested by Madhya Pradesh police in connection with the deaths of several children who allegedly died after consuming the contaminated syrup. Ranganathan was arrested in Chennai after a police team from Madhya Pradesh travelled to Chennai and Kancheepuram to trace him. He would be taken to Kancheepuram, where the company’s factory is located, for further investigation.
He has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, endangering the safety of children, and adulteration of drugs. The police are now seeking transit remand to move him to Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh.
This follows the Madhya Pradesh Police’s announcement of a Rs 20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Officers had earlier travelled to Tamil Nadu but were unable to apprehend him. He was on police radar since October 5.
Who is G Ranganathan?
G Ranganathan, 75, is a Chennai-based pharmaceutical entrepreneur and the owner of Sresan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, the company behind the controversial Coldrif cough syrup. A graduate of Madras Medical College in pharmacy, Ranganathan’s career spans more than four decades. He first gained recognition in the early 1980s for Pronit, a nutritional syrup widely used in Chennai, which he personally promoted to doctors, highlighting its benefits for pregnant women, TOI reported.
The state drug control department later raised concerns about certain ingredients in Pronit, but Ranganathan obtained the necessary license and continued his business operations. Over time, he expanded his portfolio to include liquid nasal products, the outlet further reported.
His 2,000 sq ft manufacturing unit in Kancheepuram has now been sealed, and his Kodambakkam office remains locked.
Company’s shady operations
While police have filed an FIR against Sresan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, the manufacturer of Coldrif cough syrup, the company’s official records tell a murky story. The name mentioned in the FIR does not appear in government registries. The registered entity, Sresan Pharmaceuticals, was incorporated in 1990 as a private limited company, but according to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), it was struck off in 2009.
Records from Zauba Corp list four directors for the company: Ranganathan Govindarajan, Ranganathan Rani, Govindan Bala Subramanian, and Ranganathan Govindan. Ranganathan Govindarajan is the last-standing director as of 2009 and the last submitted balance sheet also dates back to the same year.
Despite these discrepancies, the company maintains an active presence online. Its IndiaMART listing describes it as a trader of cough syrups, protein powders, pharmaceutical syrups, and herbal child growth syrups. NDTV Profit reported inconsistencies between the addresses listed on IndiaMART, product packaging, and MCA filings, though all locations are reportedly within the same neighbourhood in Chennai. Following the controversy, the company has been delisted from the platform.
The outlet further revealed how industrial-grade chemicals for Coldrif were procured from local suppliers such as Sunrise Biotech and Pandia Chemicals in Chennai, with payments made via cash and Google Pay. Propylene glycol, a key ingredient in the syrup, was sourced by the company from chemical traders and even paint industry dealers.
Laboratory tests detected harmful chemicals in the syrup that caused severe kidney damage and death if consumed. The syrup has 48.6 per cent Diethylene Glycol (DEG).
After 19 deaths were traced to the consumption of Coldrif cough syrup, multiple states have acted against the product. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh have banned its sale, while Karnataka and Telangana have asked authorities to remain on high alert and educate the public about its risks.
Arrest of Dr Soni
Police earlier arrested Dr Praveen Soni for allegedly prescribing the contaminated syrup to children who reportedly died after taking it. In his defence, the doctor said that he is not the only one prescribing it. He also admitted to prescribing this cough syrup for several years now.
“This syrup is not a one-day treatment. I have been prescribing medicines from this company for over ten years,” Dr Soni told India Today hours before his arrest.
He added, “It’s wrong to suggest that a primary doctor decides on the formulation. We receive ready-to-use, sealed medicines.”
The Indian Medical Association condemned the doctor’s arrest, asking why only the doctor was held responsible while the makers of the drug faced no immediate action. The doctor’s bail application was rejected by the Chhindwara sessions Court on Wednesday.
Justice would be done: MP Dy CM
Speaking to reporters in Chhindwara on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said the government was taking “all necessary measures” to ensure justice for the victims and their families.
The Chhindwara district administration has sealed five medical stores and sent additional samples of the syrup for detailed testing. In protest, the Chhindwara Chemist Association has announced an indefinite strike from midnight.
Santosh Chore, President of the Chemist Association, expressed strong disagreement with the administration’s decision to seal chemist shops, saying that responsibility should instead be fixed on the medicine manufacturers and the laboratories that approved the drugs.
“We are going on strike starting midnight in protest after five chemist shops, which have been sealed and served a showcause notice. We are not objecting to the investigation, and samples should be collected. However, we do not agree with the sealing of chemist shops. Action should be taken against the medicine producers and labs that pass them,” Chore told ANI.
Public advisories have also been issued across villages, urging parents not to administer any cough syrup to children until further notice.