NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday in its order rejected a PIL seeking a CBI probe into the alleged deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan after consumption of toxic cough syrup, after finding no merit in the plea.
"Sorry, we are not inclined to hear the matter," said, a bench of the top court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai.
During the course of the hearing on Friday, advocate petitioner Vishal Tiwari told the apex court that it was a very serious matter involving the death of children and yet no proper lab test or clinical trial has been conducted. Tiwari said that this is not the first instance of such adulterated medicine being sold freely and causing fatalities and that a CBI probe is necessary to investigate the matter at a time when States are blaming each other.
Opposing the submissions of Tiwari, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said he was not appearing for any state at the moment but the efforts of states that have witnessed such deaths, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, to investigate the matter cannot be undermined.
The top law officer said the petitioner reads the newspaper and rushes to the court. The bench, which was initially of the view that the notice should be issued, later dismissed it.
After hearing these submissions, the CJI asked Tiwari, how many PILs he has filed. To this, Tiwari said, he has filed eight to ten PIL, then the bench dismissed his plea.
The plea filed by Tiwari also sought inquiry and systemic reform in drug safety mechanisms in the wake of deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, allegedly due to consumption of toxic cough syrups.
The petitioner, Tiwari, sought a court-monitored probe into the incidents and urged the constitution of a National Judicial Commission or Expert Committee headed by a retired SC judge.
