Mohammed Rashid Fathima Sharmila v. K.W.G. Nishantha and Others – SC FR APPLICATION NO. 398/2008-2023

Brief
In the case between Mohammed Rashid Fathima Sharmila (on behalf of her deceased husband, Mohammed Nizar Mohammed Irfan) and a group of police personnel and state officials, the court addressed allegations of violations of fundamental rights arising from the arrest, detention, and extrajudicial killing of the deceased. It was determined that constitutional rights under Articles 12(1), 13(1), and 13(4) had been breached due to inconsistencies and contradictions in the police narrative and the unjustified use of force. The findings established that the actions taken by the police were not justified as self-defence and constituted an unlawful use of force. Substantial compensation was ordered for the petitioner, reaffirming the principle that the State and its officers are accountable fo