Meril Karunasagara v. Attorney General – CA PHC APN 119/2014-2014

In the case between Meril Karunasagara (claimant-petitioner) and Hon. The Attorney General (respondent-respondent), the core issue addressed was whether the High Court’s confiscation of the claimant-petitioner’s vehicle, used in the commission of a drug-related offense under Section 79 of the Poison, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Act, should be set aside. It was held that confiscation is not warranted where the registered owner has exercised all necessary diligence and lacked knowledge of the vehicle’s illegal use. The holding reaffirmed that innocent ownership affords protection from forfeiture, provided the owner can demonstrate lack of complicity and sufficient precaution. The decision relied on statutory interpretation of Section 79 and case law, underscoring the principle that ownership r