Supreme Court dismisses plea for CBI probe into cough syrup deaths, says state drug safety systems sufficient
Supreme Court dismisses a PIL seeking CBI investigation into the death of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after consumption of toxic cough syrup.
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI probe and nationwide review of drug safety mechanisms following the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly linked to toxic cough syrups, saying that existing state systems were adequate to handle such cases.
What was the PIL about?
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking an inquiry and systemic reforms in India’s drug safety mechanisms following the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly linked to toxic cough syrups.
The PIL, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, had urged the top court to direct a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe and institute stricter oversight over the sale and quality of pharmaceutical products.
What did the Supreme Court say?
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K Vinod Chandran rejected the plea after hearing brief submissions from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.
The bench, which initially appeared inclined to issue notice, decided against it after Mehta objected to the petition.
“Dismissed,” Chief Justice Gavai said, ending the hearing.
Why did the Solicitor General object?
Solicitor General Mehta argued that the petitioner had filed the case based on media reports without any substantive groundwork. “The petitioner reads the newspaper and rushes to the court,” Mehta remarked, urging judicial restraint against speculative litigation.
He clarified that although he was not representing any state government in this instance, the seriousness with which states such as Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh had acted on the matter “cannot be undermined.”
“There are proper law enforcement mechanisms in states,” Mehta added, asserting that regulatory systems were already addressing the issue.
What else did the court observe?
The bench questioned Tiwari about the number of PILs he had filed previously. Upon learning that he had moved eight to ten such petitions before the Supreme Court, the judges dismissed the current plea without further deliberation.
Cough Syrup Deaths
The case arose amid public concern over the alleged deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, reportedly caused by contaminated batches of cough syrup. The incidents had triggered calls for stronger quality control in India’s vast pharmaceutical industry, which has faced international scrutiny in recent years over similar safety lapses.
However, with the dismissal of this PIL, the Supreme Court has effectively left further action in the hands of state authorities and existing drug regulatory bodies.