Court acquits suspect accused of reprinting ’Ranamaga Osse Nandikadal’

By Bhagya Silva

Colombo, June 9 (Daily Mirror) - Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasinghe acquitted a suspect accused of illegally printing and selling copies of the book 'Ranamaga Osse Nandikadal' authored by former Defence Secretary Major General Kamal Gunaratne, without the author’s consent.

The suspect had been charged under Section 178 (Part II) of the Intellectual Property Act No. 36 of 2003, an offense punishable under the Act.

The suspect, Shalanda Senani Panagoda, a resident of Gonawala in Kelaniya, was acquitted due to the prosecution’s failure to produce sufficient evidence to prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubts.

The case was initiated following a complaint lodged by the former Defence Secretary with the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) in 2018 under the case number 90829/3/18.

In his complaint, he alleged that after publishing 'Ranamaga Osse Nandikadal,' which had gained high public demand, five photocopied versions of the book had been printed and sold through a printing press allegedly linked to the suspect.

It was alleged that a copy of the said pirated book had ended up in the hands of the complainant's driver, which led to the complaint being filed with the CCD. 

Appearing on behalf of the suspect, counsel Anuradha Weerawikrama Gunawardena argued that her client was not involved in the alleged incident. She stated that the printing press in question was owned by her client’s brother, who is currently residing in the United States. 

Furthermore, she revealed that the unauthorized printing and selling had been carried out by a former female employee of the press, without her client’s knowledge or involvement.

After considering all the facts presented and following an extensive trial involving testimony from eleven witnesses, the magistrate delivered the final order on June 5, acquitting and releasing the suspect from all charges.