Royal Hospital (Pvt.) Ltd. vs. The Officer in Charge, Police Station, Wellawatte – SC APPEAL 12/2019-2024

In the case between the Officer in Charge, Police Station, Wellawatte (Plaintiff) and Royal Hospital (Pvt.) Ltd., its Chairman, and its Directors (Defendants), the court addressed the issue of whether directors of Royal Hospitals (Pvt.) Ltd. could be held strictly liable under Section 31 of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board Act in proceedings arising from alleged illegal water connections. It was held that liability under the relevant provision requires specific and individualized charges against the directors rather than a generalized imputation. The legal principle reaffirmed is that corporate and individual liability must be clearly distinguished, with the need for evidence directly connecting the individuals to the alleged offence. Reliance was placed on statutory interpreta