Calcutta high court on Thursday pulled up the Bengal government for not taking proactive action to suspend the usage of the contaminated IV fluids in state-run hospitals.

Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya heard the plea for an impartial inquiry into the alleged death of two women and one infant due to the contaminated IV fluid being administered to pregnant mothers.

The state’s advocate general said only one woman had died.

“It is rather disturbing to know that despite an order passed in December 2024 directing to stop manufacturing, the health department did not take proactive action to suspend the usage of the drugs. This was only done on 14th January,” Chief Justice Sivagnanam said in the order, as reported by legal website Live Law.

“We fail to understand why it took more than ten days to pass orders for withdrawal of existing stock,” the chief justice reportedly said.

“All the subsequent actions taken cannot bring back the lives that are lost. The state being a welfare state shall disburse adequate compensation to the victims family though it cannot bring back the life of the people which are lost.

“We direct the department of health and family welfare to file a comprehensive report including the list of patients to whom the drugs were administered. Action taken report must also be filed by the central government.

“After that the court will consider further directions,” the chief justice added.