Tharindu Iranga Jayawardana vs. Director, Criminal Investigation Department – CA PHC APN/0083/2023-2024

In the case between the petitioner (challenging acts by the Magistrate of Colombo Fort and the High Court of Colombo), the Inspector General of Police, the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, the Director of the Computer Crime Investigation Division, and the Attorney General, the court addressed the issue of whether orders by the Magistrate directing an investigation into alleged contempt of court, based on statements made at a press conference outside the Magistrate’s territorial jurisdiction, were valid. It was held that a Magistrate lacks jurisdiction to direct such an investigation where the alleged act occurred outside his territorial limits and that the power to determine contempt in these circumstances lies with the Court of Appeal. The principle reaffirmed is that re