Susila De Silva v. Weerasinghe and Others – sllr 1987 volume 1 page 088

In the case between Susila De Silva (on behalf of K. K. V. Jayatillake de Silva) and Weerasinghe and others (representing the State and law enforcement authorities), the court addressed the legality of a warrantless arrest and the validity of subsequent detention under section 18(1) of the Emergency Regulations and the Prevention of Terrorism Act. It was held that arresting officers may rely on instructions and reasonable grounds established through information received from superiors, and that such arrest and detention orders are lawful when supported by the established legal framework. The principle reaffirmed is that firsthand knowledge is not strictly required when reasonable grounds are present, as recognized in precedent cases such as Nanayakkara v. Henry Perera and Muthusamy v. Kann