Weliwita Kankanamalage Saman Karunadasa v Officer in Charge, Police Station, Wellampitiya – CA MISC/01/2020-2022

In the case between W.G. Nalinda Priyankara (Appellant) and Officer in Charge, Police Station, Wellampitiya (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether the forfeiture of a vehicle was warranted following the accused’s acquittal on charges of tampering with chassis and engine numbers under the Motor Traffic Act, where the appellant, a subsequent owner, claimed bona fide ownership and lack of knowledge of the alterations. It was held that forfeiture of the vehicle was justified as the appellant failed to provide convincing evidence of due diligence or lack of knowledge regarding the tampering, despite being named as the legal owner. The decision reaffirmed the principle that proof of ownership alone is insufficient if vehicle identification has been altered and the acquirer has no