The Supreme Court will hear the case concerning the deaths of children due to Coldrink cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on October 10. The Public Interest Litigation demands a CBI investigation and improvement of the drug safety system.
New Delhi: Following the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after consuming Coldrink cough syrup, the matter has reached the Supreme Court. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed on this serious issue. The petition demands an investigation into the drug safety mechanism and an independent inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The court has set October 10 as the date for hearing this petition. The petition also states that conducting investigations in different states makes it difficult to establish accountability, leading to dangerous medicines reaching the market.
Bench and Counsel's Argument
A bench comprising Supreme Court Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, and Justice K. Vinod Chandran will hear this case. Advocate Vishal Tiwari argued in the petition that an immediate hearing is essential in the matter of children's deaths. The petition states that this is not merely a state-specific issue but concerns a serious examination of the entire country's drug safety system.
Demand for CBI Investigation
The Public Interest Litigation demands a national investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court, proposing the formation of an expert committee or a National Judicial Commission headed by a retired judge for this purpose. The petition states that all pending cases and investigations related to children's deaths should be handed over to the CBI to ensure complete transparency and accountability.
Arguments Raised in the Petition
The petition highlights that due to separate investigations in different states, there are frequent lapses in cases. This not only hinders the identification of culprits but also allows dangerous medicines to continuously reach the market. This situation has raised serious questions about health and child safety.
Deaths Caused by Coldrink Cough Syrup
Several children have died in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after consuming Coldrink cough syrup. Following this, the administration initiated preliminary investigations, but the petition states that these local-level investigations are failing to establish full accountability. The petition also demands that the central government identify the regulatory gaps that allowed substandard and toxic medicines to reach the market.
Questions on Regulatory Processes
The petition argues that numerous flaws exist in the drug safety system. Due to these deficiencies, substandard or adulterated medicines are reaching children instead of safe ones. The petition further demands that the Supreme Court instruct the central government to strengthen the drug regulation process to prevent such tragedies in the future.
