Manjula Nishantha v. The Officer in Charge Police Station Payagala – CA BAIL/017/2022-2022

In the case between Manjula Nishantha (petitioner/suspect) and the Officer in Charge, Police Station Payagala, and the Attorney General’s Department (respondents), the court addressed the issue of eligibility for bail under the Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act. It was held that, notwithstanding previous convictions and a suspended jail term, exceptional circumstances must guide the granting of bail under the statute. The findings established that over one year of remand without substantial judicial progression, coupled with the statutory purpose, justified admission to bail. The principle reaffirmed is that ongoing remand must be continuously justified by more than prior record or unresolved allegation, relying on the statutory framework and emphasizing th