Samerasinghe Arachchige Mable vs The Officer in Charge, Police Narcotics Bureau – CA PHC APN: 108/12-2012

In the case between Samerasinghe Arachchige Mable (Petitioner) and the Officer in Charge, Police Narcotics Bureau, and the Attorney General (Respondents), the court addressed the lawfulness of the continued remand of the suspect, Saundige Siriyan, for over two and a half years without formal charges. It was held that such prolonged remand without the filing of charges is not justified, entitling the suspect to bail. The principle reaffirmed is that indefinite detention without charge contravenes procedural fairness and must be remedied by release on bail. Reliance was placed on the admitted facts of delay and the absence of a formal charge, emphasizing the need for the expeditious administration of criminal justice and protection of individual liberty from excessive pre-trial detention.

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