The Supreme Court of India on Friday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI probe and sweeping drug safety reforms following the deaths of several children allegedly caused by contaminated cough syrups. The PIL, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, also demanded stronger recall mechanisms and stricter oversight of pharmaceutical manufacturing standards.
A bench comprising Chief Justice B. R. Gavai, and Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K. Vinod Chandran refused to intervene, observing that state governments were already conducting investigations, particularly in Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the existing state-led probes were sufficient and criticized the PIL for being based mainly on media reports without new evidence.
The Court also noted the petitioner’s record of filing multiple PILs and found no substantial grounds to justify judicial interference. Chief Justice Gavai delivered the short verdict: “Dismissed.”
The controversy stems from the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, allegedly after consuming the cough syrup Coldrif, which was later found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG)—a toxic chemical far exceeding permissible limits. Authorities have since arrested the company’s owner, revoked the manufacturing license, and launched extensive drug safety inspections across several states.
Following the court’s decision, the onus now falls on state investigative agencies, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), and other regulatory bodies to ensure justice, accountability, and tighter drug safety compliance to prevent such tragedies in the future.
