Cader (on behalf of Rashid Kahan) vs Officer-in-Charge Narcotics Bureau – sllr 2006 volume 3 page 074

In the case between Cader (on behalf of Rashid Kahan) and the Officer-in-Charge, Narcotics Bureau, the court addressed whether bail should be granted to a suspect charged with possession of heroin under the Poisons, Opium, and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, especially when the term “exceptional circumstances” is not statutorily defined. The court held that bail should not be granted in the absence of demonstrated exceptional circumstances, reaffirming the principle that bail in cases involving serious drug offences remains restricted unless stringent requirements are met. This decision relied on statutory provisions and prior case law, emphasizing that maintaining custody is justified to uphold the gravity of the offence and address the risks involved in such cases.

Eric Basnayake J. — It wa