Arumugam Ravichandran vs The Hon. Attorney General – CA 176/2014-2020

In the case between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (represented by the Hon. Attorney General) and Arumugam Ravichandran, the court addressed whether the appellant’s conviction for kidnapping, grave sexual abuse, and murder, based on circumstantial and DNA evidence, was proper. It was determined that all procedural safeguards were observed, including adherence to Section 165 of the Evidence Ordinance and standards for the admission and evaluation of forensic evidence. The findings established that the circumstantial and DNA evidence sufficed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt, and the chain of custody, as well as expert testimony regarding DNA, was maintained and credible. The decision reaffirmed that, in the absence of direct identification, a constellation of stron