The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted searches at seven locations in Chennai linked to Sreesan Pharma and top officials of the Tamil Nadu Drug Control Department under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The raids come in connection with the Coldrif cough syrup case, which has led to the deaths of at least 22 children in Madhya Pradesh due to suspected renal failure.
ED officials said the searches covered the residences of senior Tamil Nadu drug control officers and premises associated with Sreesan Pharma, the manufacturer of the toxic syrup. The case, which has sparked nationwide outrage, exposed severe lapses in regulatory oversight and quality control.
The crackdown follows the arrest of G Ranganathan, 73, owner of Chennai-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals, whose company manufactured the Coldrif syrup.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) found multiple violations by both the company and the Tamil Nadu Food and Drug Administration (TNFDA). Despite poor infrastructure and repeated safety breaches, Sresan continued to operate unchecked since obtaining its license in 2011.
The Coldrif syrup, found to contain lethal levels of diethylene glycol, a chemical commonly used in antifreeze, has been banned across several states. The contamination allegedly caused acute renal failure in children, most of whom had been prescribed the syrup for mild cough and fever.
Ranganathan’s 2,000 sq ft manufacturing unit on the Chennai–Bengaluru highway has been sealed. His Kodambakkam office was cleared out last week, reportedly with equipment moved overnight. Drug inspectors are now seizing remaining Coldrif stocks, testing other batches, and tracking the company’s distribution network.
Authorities are also investigating Sresan’s links with Ceego Labs and Iven Healthcare. While formal charges are pending, Ranganathan is expected to face culpable homicide and Drugs and Cosmetics Act violations for supplying contaminated medicine that caused multiple deaths.
The crisis began in late August, when over a dozen children in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, developed sudden kidney failure after consuming Coldrif syrup. The death toll soon climbed to 22, prompting immediate lab testing of Batch SR-13 (manufactured May 2025, expiry April 2027) by Tamil Nadu’s drug control authorities. The tests confirmed dangerous levels of diethylene glycol.
Following the findings, the syrup’s distribution to Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Puducherry was suspended. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered a complete ban on Coldrif and all Sresan products, which was soon followed by the revocation of the company’s manufacturing licence.
