As many as three employees of a Noida-based pharmaceutical firm, Marion Biotech were arrested following the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan last year due to the consumption of cough syrup. The officials were arrested on charges of manufacturing and sale of adulterated drugs.

According to Uzbekistan's health ministry, laboratory tests of a batch of syrups found "the presence of ethylene glycol", a toxic substance. The ministry said ethylene glycol was administered in doses higher than the standard for children, either by their parents, who mistook it for an anti-cold remedy or on the advice of pharmacists.

The arrests were made after an FIR was lodged on Thursday against five officials of Marion Biotech, including two of its directors, over a complaint by a drugs inspector of the CDSCO.

According to news reports, the three arrested are Tuhin Bhattacharya, Head Operation; Atul Rawat, manufacturing chemist; and Mool Singh, analytical chemist. The absconding directors of the firm who have been booked are Jaya Jain and Sachin Jain.