New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Friday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan, reportedly caused by the consumption of contaminated cough syrup.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India B. R. Gavai observed that the petition lacked substance and said, “Sorry, we are not inclined to hear the matter,” effectively closing the case.

During the hearing, advocate Vishal Tiwari, who filed the PIL, contended that the matter involved the loss of children’s lives and required a high-level probe since no adequate lab analysis or clinical evaluation had been conducted. He further alleged that this was not an isolated incident, pointing out previous instances of spurious medicines being sold freely in the market.

However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the plea, stating that both Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh had already initiated investigations, and their efforts should not be disregarded. He also remarked that the petitioner appeared to have relied solely on media reports before approaching the court.

The bench initially considered issuing a notice but later decided to dismiss the plea. When asked by the Chief Justice how many PILs he had previously filed, Tiwari admitted to filing “eight to ten” petitions, following which the bench formally rejected his request.

In his petition, Tiwari had also sought the formation of a National Judicial Commission or Expert Committee, to be chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge, to strengthen India’s drug safety framework and monitor future investigations into similar incidents.