Angampodi Janaki Priyanthi De Silva vs Officer-in-Charge Police Station Kosgoda – CA PHC APN/177-2022-2023

In the case between Angampodi Janaki Priyanthi De Silva (petitioner) and The Officer-in-Charge, Police Station Kosgoda, and the Attorney General, Department of Colombo-12 (respondents), the court addressed whether exceptional circumstances—such as prolonged remand exceeding nearly four years, credible threats leading to absconding, and inordinate delays—justify revision of a High Court order refusing bail. It was held that, in light of these circumstances, strict adherence to the presumption of innocence and avoidance of punitive pretrial detention warranted the grant of bail subject to stringent conditions. The principles under the Bail Act and precedents emphasizing that bail should not be withheld as punishment were reaffirmed. The decision highlighted that ongoing detention without tri