The Madhya Pradesh High Court delivered a resounding no to bail pleas in one of the state’s most heartbreaking medical scandals, involving a deadly cough syrup that killed over two dozen children in Chhindwara. Tuesday’s verdict by Justice Pramod Kumar Agarwal rejected applications from pharmacist, pediatrician Praveen Soni, his spouse Jyoti Soni, and nephew.
Delving into the probe findings, the bench highlighted the pharmacist’s wrongful dispensing of Coldrief syrup instead of the doctor-prescribed Nexstro-DS. Shockingly, no billing records existed, and the accused allegedly destroyed crucial evidence like 66 syrup bottles to cover tracks.
As the gatekeeper of pharmaceutical integrity, the pharmacist bears the onus of accurate distribution and documentation to safeguard lives. Dr. Soni’s unauthorized prescription of the hazardous syrup to minors further exposed glaring ethical breaches. These combined failures in protocol unleashed devastation.
The syrup, contaminated with toxic diethylene glycol from its manufacturing source, ravaged children’s kidneys, leading to more than 26 fatalities at Parasiya Community Health Centre from August to October 2025. The state swiftly imposed a ban on October 4, 2025.
Investigations reveal a web of commission-driven motives linking the pharmacist, doctor, and associates. Detained since October 13, 2025, the prime evidence against them invokes serious charges under key legal provisions including the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
The court’s firm stance signals zero tolerance for such negligence amid a probe exposing regulatory chinks in drug supply chains. While this decision is bail-specific, it amplifies calls for comprehensive reforms to prevent future tragedies, ensuring no child falls victim to poisoned remedies.