Indian businessman Sachin Jain has been charged and is now wanted in connection with the deaths of 68 children and the disability of 16 others in Uzbekistan. This development was disclosed during the ongoing trial on May 19. The case revolves around the distribution of two drugs, "Dok-1 Max" and "Ambronol," which have been linked to the fatalities.
During the court proceedings, lawyer Ulugbek Latipov called for an additional forensic chemical examination of the drug samples. Latipov emphasized that the initial court had overlooked crucial evidence. Specifically, the presence of harmful substances, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, in the drugs was detected by the "State Center for Expertise and Standardization of Medicines, Medical Products and Medical Equipment" laboratory at the end of December 2022. However, the methods used for these tests were not clearly outlined, and it was revealed that non-standard test methods were employed due to the emergency situation.
Latipov explained,
"These laboratory tests were carried out by specialists using non-standard test methods that had not yet been officially approved in the field of Pharmacopoeia due to the emergency situation."
The urgency arose from the alarming number of child deaths linked to the consumption of these syrups.
The defense argued that prior to these incidents, there were no established procedures for checking the presence of foreign compounds in medicinal syrups. It wasn't until 2022, after the fatalities in Uzbekistan and other countries, that the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced rules for testing diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol in liquid drugs. The recommended method, "Gas Chromatography," was not used in the initial tests conducted in Uzbekistan.
Additionally, tests by the Republican Forensic Expertise Center named after H. Sulaymonova did not employ the "Gas Chromatography" method. While the presence of the harmful substances was confirmed, the exact quantities were not determined. Furthermore, the reports lacked comprehensive information about the presence or absence of other expected substances in the drugs.
These shortcomings led the defense to question the objectivity and quality of the evidence. Despite these concerns, the initial court dismissed the defense's requests to consider these expert opinions as inadmissible and based the conviction on the contested conclusions. The court also ordered the destruction of all "Dok-1 Max" and "Ambronol" drugs collected from various warehouses and pharmacies.
The defense stressed the importance of conducting new examinations using WHO-approved methods to ensure the results are credible and can withstand international legal scrutiny. They highlighted the need to retain sufficient samples of the drugs for further testing.
The real focus of the investigation, according to the defense, should be on Marion Biotech Pvt., the India-based company responsible for producing the implicated syrups. The defense advocated for involving the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan in overseeing these tasks.
Previously, it was suggested that the Indian manufacturers of Dok-1 Max could face light penalties under Indian law, potentially as minimal as six months in prison or a fine of 1,000 rupees (approximately $12), if found guilty.
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