The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out extensive raids on Monday in Chennai and Kanchipuram in connection with the Coldrif cough syrup tragedy, which has claimed the lives of at least 22 children across India.

The searches were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at the premises of Sreesan Pharma, the manufacturer of the toxic syrup, as well as at the residences of senior officials of the Tamil Nadu Food and Drug Control Department.

Raids and targets

ED officials said the raids targeted:

  • G Ranganathan, owner of Sreesan Pharma, at his Kodambakkam residence.
  • The company’s manufacturing unit and offices in Kanchipuram.
  • Director Deepa and Joint Director Karthikeyan of the Tamil Nadu Drug Control Department, both suspended pending inquiry for alleged negligence and possible corruption in granting manufacturing licenses.

The agency is investigating whether there were illegal financial transactions between the pharmaceutical company and the suspended officials, along with lapses in inspections over the past two years.

Tragic consequences of Coldrif syrup

The Coldrif syrup, produced at Sreesan Pharma’s Sunguvarchatram unit, was distributed across multiple states. It contained lethal levels of diethylene glycol, a toxic industrial solvent, leading to acute renal failure among children in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, resulting in 21 deaths, with a subsequent fatality reported later.

Madhya Pradesh Police registered an FIR against Sreesan Pharma for adulterated medicine causing deaths. G Ranganathan was arrested on October 9, 2025, and handed over to Tamil Nadu authorities for further investigation.

Corruption and regulatory lapses

The Tamil Nadu government suspended two Drug Control Department officers who failed to inspect the company’s unit for two years. In a related case, the Director (In-Charge) of the Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department was caught accepting a bribe by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, leading to an FIR under corruption laws.

Both FIRs contained scheduled offences under the PMLA, prompting the ED to register an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR). The agency is now probing whether profits from the sale of adulterated syrup were proceeds of crime.

CDSCO findings and government action

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) found that Sreesan Pharma had continued operations despite repeated warnings and poor infrastructure since 2011. Batch SR-13 (manufactured May 2025, expiry April 2027) contained deadly levels of diethylene glycol.

Following the tragedy, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered a statewide ban on Coldrif and all Sreesan Pharma products. The company’s manufacturing licence has also been revoked.

With the ED investigating financial misconduct and the ACB exposing bribery, the case now highlights a nexus of corruption, negligence, and regulatory failure in Tamil Nadu’s drug administration.