Who Is G Ranganathan, Sresan Pharmaceuticals Owner Arrested In Cough Syrup Case?

G Ranganathan, the 73-year-old owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, has been arrested in Chennai by a seven-member police team from Madhya Pradesh. His company is accused of manufacturing a toxic cough syrup named Coldrif, which has been linked to the deaths of 21 children in Madhya Pradesh.

A Contradictory Career

For over four decades, Ranganathan, a pharmacy graduate, built a reputation in the pharmaceutical industry. He initially gained prominence in the 1980s with Pronit, a nutritional syrup he personally marketed to pediatricians, according to a report in The Times of India.

After resolving early licensing issues, he expanded his business, establishing multiple manufacturing units around Chennai. Industry insiders knew him as a mentor to young entrepreneurs who remained active in professional circles, the report said.

This image is now shattered. His manufacturing facility has been sealed, and his registered office in Chennai, recently cleared out by employees at night, is locked.

The Poisonous Product

The tragedy came to light in August after several children, mostly under five, in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district suffered sudden kidney failure after being treated for mild coughs and fevers.

An investigation traced the cause to the Coldrif cough syrup. Laboratory tests conducted in Tamil Nadu confirmed the syrup was dangerously adulterated, containing 48.6% diethylene glycol-a toxic chemical used in antifreeze that can cause fatal kidney failure.

The Fallout

Following the damning lab report, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered an immediate ban on the sale, distribution, and stock of Coldrif and all other medicines produced by Sresan Pharmaceuticals. Authorities were instructed to seize all existing stock of the company's products and collect samples for further testing to prevent more harm.