For Dr Praveen Soni, a paediatrician posted at the Parasia government health centre in Madhya Pradesh, each prescription of the now-banned Coldrif cough syrup allegedly earned him a commission of just Rs 2.54, a 10% cut on a bottle priced at Rs 24.54, NDTV reported. That small sum has now become central to a devastating tragedy in which 23 children lost their lives after consuming the syrup.

The NDTV report said that according to police, Dr Soni continued to prescribe Coldrif, manufactured by Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals, even after the Centre had prohibited the use of fixed-dose combination (FDC) medicines for children under four years of age. The syrup was later found to contain dangerously high levels of diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical known to cause kidney failure.

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