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ED Raids Seven Chennai Sites Linked to Sresan Pharma in Coldrif Cough Syrup Death Case

The probe has exposed severe lapses in oversight by Tamil Nadu’s Food and Drug Administration (TNFDA).

• By Newsdesk
• New Delhi
• Oct 13, 2025

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday carried out raids at seven locations across Chennai connected to Sresan Pharma as part of its probe into the Coldrif cough syrup tragedy, which has been linked to the deaths of several children.

The searches, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), also covered the residences of senior officials from the Tamil Nadu drug control department. Investigators believe the raids could uncover crucial evidence about financial irregularities and lapses in the production and distribution of the banned cough syrup.

The Coldrif syrup is suspected to have caused the deaths of around 22 children, most of them below the age of five, with the highest number of fatalities reported from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, followed by cases in Rajasthan. Earlier this month, Madhya Pradesh police arrested G. Ranganathan, the owner of Sresan Pharma, in connection with the case.

Regulatory Failures Under Scrutiny

The probe has exposed severe lapses in oversight by Tamil Nadu’s Food and Drug Administration (TNFDA). Officials allegedly failed to enforce regulatory norms and did not share crucial audit findings with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). Despite repeated violations and poor manufacturing practices flagged in earlier inspections, Sresan Pharma was allowed to operate for over a decade.

The company also failed to register its products on the mandatory national ‘Sugam’ portal, effectively bypassing key compliance requirements.

A joint inspection conducted in early October revealed the presence of toxic levels of diethylene glycol—around 48% against the permissible 0.1%—in samples of Coldrif syrup. However, TNFDA reportedly delayed sharing these findings with CDSCO, worsening coordination issues between the state and central regulators.

Following the revelation, CDSCO recommended cancellation of Sresan Pharma’s manufacturing licence and initiation of criminal proceedings. State authorities, however, were slow to act on these directives.

The ED’s latest raids mark a significant escalation in the investigation, aimed at tracing the financial trail behind the scandal and identifying those responsible for the manufacturing and regulatory lapses that led to the deadly consequences.