Indian Ambassador to Uzbekistan Smita Pant stated in a comment to Kun.uz on February 25 that the judicial proceedings in the Dok-1 Max case are ongoing in India, and the final decision must be made by the court.
"The matter is under judicial proceedings. The final assessment will be made by the court. It is inappropriate to give conclusive comments until the investigation and judicial proceedings are completed," the diplomat noted.
According to her, the principle of rule of law is fundamental for India, and the judicial system operates independently and makes decisions based on transparent procedures.
The ambassador also expressed deep condolences to the families of the deceased children.
Separately, Smita Pant emphasized the significance of India's pharmaceutical industry for the global healthcare system. India is one of the largest producers of medicines in the world and holds leading positions in the generic drugs segment — about 20% of the global volume of generics is produced in the country.
India played a key role as a supplier of vaccines and medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dok-1 Max syrup was manufactured by the Indian company Marion Biotech in Uttar Pradesh state. After official reports from Uzbekistan about children's deaths in December 2022, Indian regulators initiated an inspection of the enterprise, and production of the drug was suspended.
In January 2026, the Allahabad High Court rejected petitions to quash the criminal proceedings, and on February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court of India also declined to annul procedural actions, confirming that the case must be considered on its merits in the trial court.
Thus, as of 2026, no final verdict has been issued in India, and judicial proceedings continue.
In Uzbekistan, the judicial process in the Dok-1 Max case has concluded. On February 26, 2024, the Tashkent City Criminal Court issued a guilty verdict in the case of importing and distributing a medicinal product that caused severe consequences.
23 people were found guilty, including representatives of the importing company and officials involved in registering and approving the drug for the market.
Source: kun.uz