MP High Court Denies Bail to Pediatrician Accused in Coldriff Cough Syrup Child Deaths Case

A senior pediatrician accused in the Coldriff cough syrup tragedy has been denied bail by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which observed that the allegations involve the prescription of a prohibited drug combination to young children and raise serious concerns about public health and safety.

Justice Pramod Kumar Agrawal rejected the bail plea of Dr. S.S. Thakur, a child specialist from Chhindwara district who has been in custody since March 2026. The case relates to the alleged deaths of several children and the distribution of Coldriff cough syrup, which investigators claim contained dangerously high levels of Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a toxic substance known to cause severe kidney damage.

The defence argued that the doctor had prescribed the medicine in good faith and had no knowledge that the syrup was contaminated. It was also contended that he was neither involved in the manufacture nor distribution of the product and that the deaths were caused by contamination rather than the medicine’s composition. The doctor further relied on judicial precedents concerning criminal liability of medical professionals.

The prosecution, however, maintained that laboratory reports confirmed excessive DEG levels in the syrup and alleged that the doctor continued prescribing it despite reports of children developing serious kidney complications. The State also pointed to a government circular restricting the use of a relevant fixed-dose drug combination in children below four years of age.

Considering the gravity of the allegations, the reported deaths of children, and the wider impact on public health, the High Court concluded that the case did not justify the grant of bail at this stage.