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Doctor’s Wife Arrested as Seventh Accused in Madhya Pradesh Cough Syrup Deaths Case

Police say she sold the tainted Coldrif from her pharmacy, tampering with evidence after dozens of child deaths.

Overview

  • Jyoti Soni was detained in Parasia, Chhindwara, and a court remanded her to three days’ police custody, investigators said.
  • She owns Apna Medical Store, from which Coldrif was sold to victims, while her husband, Dr. Praveen Soni, was earlier arrested for alleged negligent prescribing.
  • Police allege a 27% commission was paid to Jyoti Soni to supply Coldrif, with a separate 10% commission to Dr. Soni for prescribing it.
  • State lab tests reported 48.6% diethylene glycol in a Coldrif sample—far above the 0.1% limit—as at least 24 children died in Madhya Pradesh, with additional deaths reported in Rajasthan.
  • Earlier arrests span the supply chain, including Sresan Pharma owner G. Ranganathan, a company chemist, a medical representative, a wholesaler and a pharmacist, while regulators canceled Sresan’s license, sealed its unit, multiple states banned the syrup, and WHO issued an alert naming Coldrif as substandard.