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Parasia, Oct 10 (IANS) In a significant development following the tragic death of several children in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu-based Sreesan Pharmaceuticals owner Ranganathan Govindan has been arrested and placed on 10-day police remand.
Govindan, accused of manufacturing and distributing poisonous cough syrup “Coldrif”, claimed to be in Chhindwara, Parasia, Jabalpur and Betul.
Govindan, who was absconding with his wife after the incident, was caught in Chennai on Wednesday after a coordinated raid by a 12-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Chhindwara police.
Six officers of the team went to Tamil Nadu to carry out the arrest. A reward of Rs 20,000 was announced for information leading to his arrest.
Reports say that the crowd at Parasia Court tried to attack him and raised slogans. However, the accused was taken to a safe place. Nevertheless, the crowd continued raising slogans demanding death penalty for the accused.
The accused has now been brought to Parasia for further investigation.
Authorities suspect that Govindan was planning to flee abroad, as his children live abroad. Forensic experts are currently assisting in gathering technical evidence, and post-mortems on the three deceased children have been completed.
The legal community in Madhya Pradesh has taken an unprecedented stand against Govindan. In a video statement, a local lawyer announced, “All lawyers have decided that no one will defend this murderer.”
This collective refusal has left Govindan without legal representation in the courtroom on Friday, ensuring that he will remain in custody through the upcoming Diwali festival.
The tragedy has sparked national outrage and calls for a thorough investigation. Advocate Vishal Tiwari’s public interest litigation (PIL) demanding a CBI probe into the case was recently rejected by the Supreme Court, drawing criticism from legal circles.
Another lawyer said, “Dismissal of the PIL is injustice.” “We urge the apex court to reconsider and order a CBI inquiry.”
The case has drawn attention to regulatory flaws in pharmaceutical oversight and the urgent need for accountability in drug manufacturing.
As the investigation moves forward, grieving families and the public wait for justice for the innocent lives lost from the drug it was intended to cure.
Further developments are expected as police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sreesan Pharmaceuticals’ operations and distribution of the adulterated cough syrup.
–IANS
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