‘Fake Addresses, Sealed Factory’: Republic Tracks Down ‘Coldrif’ Cough Syrup Makers After 14 Children Died In MP

New Delhi: A Republic investigation has uncovered major irregularities in the operations of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the Tamil Nadu-based company behind Coldrif syrup, linked to the deaths of 14 children in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district.

Republic has found that the company’s listed addresses in Chennai are fake, its manufacturing unit in Kancheepuram is sealed, and its owner is missing — even as the state government has banned Coldrif syrup and all products from the company.

Republic teams tracking the company’s Chennai locations found no trace of any office or staff. Both addresses printed on Coldrif’s packaging turned out to be residential properties belonging to unrelated individuals.

Officials confirmed that no registered pharmaceutical office existed at either address, raising serious questions about how the company was licensed and allowed to operate for over a decade.

The company’s owner, identified as Ranganathan Govindhan, is currently missing, with a special police team deployed to trace him. His manufacturing licence, issued in 2011, has now been cancelled pending investigation.

Manufacturing Unit Sealed, License Suspended

Following the deaths in Madhya Pradesh, the Tamil Nadu Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) sealed Sresan Pharmaceuticals’ manufacturing unit in Kancheepuram, ordering an immediate halt to all production and supply.

A government order dated October 4 formally banned the sale of Coldrif across Madhya Pradesh and prohibited the sale of any other Sresan products. The Health Minister has directed the Health Secretary and top officials to probe the licensing process and recommend permanent revocation of the company’s permit.

Chhindwara Tragedy

At least 14 children in Chhindwara died over the past month after consuming Coldrif syrup. Medical officials reported cases of acute kidney failure, vomiting and loss of consciousness among the affected children.

Local authorities had already banned Coldrif and another syrup, Nextro DS, in the district on September 29, days before the state-wide action.

Subsequent tests reportedly detected traces of diethylene glycol (DEG) — a toxic industrial chemical — in Coldrif samples. DEG contamination has been linked to several past global pharmaceutical tragedies.

Regulatory Gaps Under Scrutiny

The unfolding Coldrif episode exposes alarming lapses in India’s pharmaceutical oversight — from fake corporate registrations to licensing without proper verification.

Regulators in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh are now under pressure to determine how a company with bogus addresses and a missing owner managed to hold a valid manufacturing licence for over a decade.

The government has promised strict action once the ongoing inquiry confirms lapses in due diligence.

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