Siyambala Pitiyage Asanka Prasad Gunasekera vs Officer-in-Charge, Vice Unit, Police Station – BAL/0315/2023-2023

In the case between Siyambala Pitiyage Asanka Prasad Gunasekera (petitioner) and the Officer-in-Charge, Vice Unit, Police Station, Anuradhapura (respondent), the issue concerned whether exceptional circumstances were present to justify granting bail under Section 83 of the Poisons, Opium, and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (as amended). It was held that sufficient grounds existed to grant bail due to evidence of prolonged remand custody, claimed fabrication of charges, and mitigating personal factors, provided that strict conditions were imposed. The principle reaffirmed was that bail in drug-related cases may be granted upon demonstration of exceptional circumstances, in accordance with statutory requirements and judicial precedents. The decision relied on the analysis of statutory provisions