By Zee Media Bureau,Zee News

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A public interest litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the deaths of at least 14 children in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, allegedly after consuming contaminated cough syrup.As per the media reports, the petition, filed on Tuesday by advocate Vishal Tiwari, also called for a nationwide ban and urgent recall of all contaminated cough syrup batches, along with mandatory testing of all syrup-based formulations across the country. Highlighting similar incidents reported from other states, the plea demands that the investigation be monitored by a retired Supreme Court judge to ensure transparency and accountability.The tragic incident centres around Coldrif cough syrup, manufactured by Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharma Pvt Ltd. According to laboratory tests conducted by the Madhya Pradesh government, the syrup contained Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a highly toxic industrial solvent banned for pharmaceutical use. Several children, all under the age of 15, reportedly died from acute renal failure after consuming the syrup, with the death toll rising to 14 within days. Related cases have also emerged in Nagpur, Maharashtra.In his plea, Tiwari invoked the fundamental right to life and health under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, stating, “This right ensures that no medicine meant to heal becomes an instrument of death.” He also demanded compensation for the bereaved families and the establishment of a National Pharmacovigilance Portal to enable real-time drug safety monitoring.The petition severely criticised the alleged inaction of the central government and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), noting that no immediate ban or safety alert was issued despite confirmed contamination. It stated, “This regulatory failure is reminiscent of previous tragedies, including the 2022 Gambia and Uzbekistan cases, where Indian-made syrups were linked to over 90 child deaths.”It also referred to earlier warnings by the World Health Organization (WHO), which had urged India to reform its pharmaceutical regulatory system following DEG and Ethylene Glycol-related incidents. However, the plea alleged that neither the Ministry of Health nor the CDSCO had implemented standardised pre-release testing protocols or created a national drug recall mechanism.The litigation further called for the suspension or cancellation of manufacturing licences of companies found responsible for producing or distributing adulterated medicines. It urged prosecution under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.Among other demands, the petitioner requested that the Centre be directed to frame and notify a National Drug Recall Policy and establish a Toxicological Safety Protocol. The plea emphasised the need for compulsory DEG and EG testing before the release of any oral liquid formulations, especially those intended for children, and insisted on stringent quality audits prior to market approval.