Polhena Jayasinghen Tantirige Sudarshini vs. Attorney General of Sri Lanka – CA BAL 57/2022-2022

In the case between Chandrasiri Paranawitharana (Petitioner) and Hon. Attorney General, Officer in Charge, Police Station Habaraduwa (Respondents), the Court addressed whether the suspect, Polahena Jayasinghe Tahnthitrige Sudarshini, was entitled to bail under the Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act, read with the Bail Act. The Court determined that continued remand would amount to unjust hardship where there was excessive delay in investigations, and the statutory provisions were found to be potentially misused to redress personal grievances, rather than for statutory objectives. The holding required Magistrates to grant bail under appropriate conditions. Reliance was placed on statutory interpretation and case-law regarding “exceptional circumstances” in ba