Ruwanmunige Lilawathi Palugoda v. Officer in Charge, Police Station, Walasmulla – CA BAL/25/2020-2021

In the case between Ruwanmunige Lilawathi (Petitioner, on behalf of her son, Kattadige Janaka Pushpakumara) and the Officer in Charge, Police Station, Walasmulla, and the Hon. Attorney General (Complainant-Respondents), the court addressed the grant of bail under Sections 8(2) and 8(3) of the Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act, No.4 of 2015. It was held that where an accused remains in prolonged remand custody with no indictment or charge served for a significant period, and no explanation is provided for such delay, “exceptional circumstances” justifying bail under Section 10(1)(a) are present. The principle reaffirmed is that unexplained delay and extended remand can constitute exceptional grounds for bail, drawing from applicable statutes and judicial pre