Jathun Gamage Priyantha vs S.R.J. Dias and others – SC FR 18/2016-2024

In the case between Jathun Gamage Priyantha (petitioner, formerly a police constable) and the named Respondents including the 1st and 2nd Respondents (police officers), the National Police Commission, and the Attorney-General’s Department, the Supreme Court addressed whether the actions of police personnel—specifically alleged abuse, assault, and unlawful arrest/detention—violated the petitioner’s fundamental rights under Articles 11 and 13(1) of the Constitution. It was determined that the evidence substantiated the petitioner’s claims of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment as well as an infringement of personal liberty through unlawful detention. The judgment reaffirmed the principle that public officials, including police, are strictly bound by constitutional guarantees and may face