Uzbekistan Court Convicts Indian National and 22 Others for Fatalities Linked to Tainted Cough Syrup

Twenty-three individuals have been handed prison sentences by a court in Uzbekistan on February 26 in connection to the deaths of 68 children, which were attributed to tainted cough syrups manufactured by Marion Biotech, an Indian pharmaceutical company. This verdict follows a comprehensive six-month trial. Initially, Uzbekistan reported 65 fatalities associated with the consumption of these medicines. However, recent updates from the prosecutors at the Tashkent city court revealed an increase in the death toll, with two additional individuals charged during the trial proceedings.

The convicted individuals, among whom is one Indian national, were found guilty of a range of offenses including tax evasion, distribution of substandard or counterfeit drugs, abuse of power, negligence, forgery, and bribery. The court sentenced them to imprisonment terms varying from two to 20 years. Notably, Singh Raghvendra Pratar, an executive director of Quramax Medical, a company responsible for distributing medications manufactured by Marion Biotech in Uzbekistan, received the harshest sentence of 20 years behind bars. Furthermore, former high-ranking officials responsible for overseeing the licensing of imported pharmaceuticals were also handed lengthy prison terms.

In addition to the prison sentences, the court ordered compensation amounting to $80,000 (equivalent to 1 billion Uzbek sums) to be disbursed to the families of each of the 68 children who lost their lives due to the consumption of the contaminated syrup. Additionally, four other children who suffered disabilities as a result of the tainted medication will also receive compensation. The parents of eight other affected children will receive compensation ranging from $16,000 to $40,000. The funds for compensation will be collected from seven of the convicted individuals, as outlined in the court’s decision, which was reported by the Supreme Court.

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