The SIT has arrested Jyoti Soni, wife of accused paediatrician Dr. Praveen Soni, for her alleged role in selling the toxic cough syrup that caused the deaths of 24 children in Madhya Pradesh.
Dr. Soni and six others, including the drug manufacturer, are already in custody as part of the ongoing probe into the tragedy.
The arrest expands the investigation into the distribution network and regulatory failures behind the sale of the contaminated syrup.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Madhya Pradesh cough syrup tragedy has arrested Jyoti Soni, wife of paediatrician Dr. Praveen Soni, who is already in custody for allegedly prescribing a toxic cough syrup that led to the deaths of at least 24 children in Chhindwara district.
Officials said Jyoti Soni was arrested from her residence in Parasia town late on Monday. She is the proprietor of a local medical store that reportedly sold the contaminated syrup, identified as Coldrif, to several affected families. The SIT believes she played a key role in distributing the medicine linked to the deaths.
Dr. Praveen Soni was arrested earlier for allegedly prescribing the same syrup, which has been found to contain diethylene glycol — a poisonous chemical compound that can cause acute kidney failure. The syrup was reportedly produced by a local pharmaceutical company whose license has since been suspended.
So far, seven people, including the manufacturer, distributors, and the doctor, have been arrested in connection with the case. The state government has also suspended three drug inspectors over alleged negligence and lapses in quality control.
The tragedy, which has shocked the region, has prompted nationwide scrutiny of drug manufacturing and sale practices. The World Health Organization (WHO) had earlier issued a global alert against substandard syrups after similar deaths were reported in other countries due to toxic formulations.
The SIT said the arrest of Jyoti Soni is a major step forward in mapping the entire supply and prescription chain. Investigators are now focusing on how the contaminated batch of syrup entered the market and whether regulatory loopholes enabled its sale to unsuspecting patients.
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