CHENNAI: Govindan Ranganathan, owner of Sresan Pharma, manufacturers of the infamous Coldrif cough syrup, which is linked to the death of scores of children in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, due to toxic chemicals was arrested from his residence in Ashok Nagar in Chennai by a Madhya Pradesh Special Investigation Team (SIT). He was on the run since the Coldrif cough syrup tragedy came to light.
Coldrif reportedly was found to contain dangerous toxic substances beyond permissible limits.
Ranganathan has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, endangering children, and drug adulteration. The police are now seeking transit remand to bring him to Madhya Pradesh.
Govindan Ranganathan, 75, is a Chennai-based pharmaceutical entrepreneur with a career spanning over four decades.
A pharmacy graduate from Madras Medical College, he first gained recognition in the early 1980s with Pronit, a nutritional syrup he personally promoted to doctors for its benefits to pregnant women, according to The Times of India.
The syrup quickly became popular, but the state drug control department later raised concerns over certain ingredients. Though marketed as a “nutritional food supplement,” some components required official approval. Ranganathan eventually secured the necessary licence and brought the product into compliance, according to reports.
