Sundaralingam Kedeeshwaran vs. The Attorney General – CA HCC/0194/2017-2022

In the case between the Attorney General (on behalf of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka) and Sundaralingam Kedeeshwaran, the court addressed the admissibility and voluntariness of a confession made by the accused-appellant under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA) and Section 24 of the Evidence Ordinance. It was held that procedural irregularities in the translation and recording of the confession, together with insufficient evidence of voluntariness and consideration of alleged duress, rendered the confession inadmissible. The conviction, which relied solely on this confession, could not be sustained. The principle was reaffirmed that a confession must be shown to be voluntary, free from inducement, threat, or promise, and fulfill both statutory and