Violation of Fundamental Rights: SC orders Police Spokesman to pay Rs. 60,000 as compensation

2 April 2026 12:22 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 8 Bookmark

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Colombo, April 2 (Daily Mirror)- The Supreme Court, by a majority decision, has ordered the current Police Media Spokesman SSP Wootler Udayakumara to personally pay Rs. 60,000 as compensation to an Attorney-at-Law for violating his fundamental rights during an incident at the Negombo Police Station in 2017.

The Court found that Wootler Udayakumara, who was serving as the Headquarters Inspector of the Negombo Police Station at the time of the incident, had unlawfully interfered with the professional duties of the petitioner, Attorney-at-Law Priyalal Sirisena.

The Supreme Court also directed Madushanka Dias, the former Officer-in-Charge of the Miscellaneous Complaints Unit of the Negombo police station, to pay Rs. 30,000 as compensation for his role in violating the petitioner’s rights guaranteed under Article 14(1)(g) of the Constitution, which ensures the freedom to engage in a lawful profession.

In addition to the compensation, both respondents were ordered to pay Rs. 10,000 each as legal costs to the petitioner.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Justice Janak De Silva, with Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe concurring, following a fundamental rights petition filed by Attorney-at-Law Priyalal Sirisena. The petitioner had alleged that the two police officers obstructed him from carrying out his professional responsibilities when he attempted to represent a client at an inquiry conducted at the Negombo Police Station.

However, in a dissenting opinion, Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena dismissed the petition without costs, stating that he was unable to agree with the petitioner’s claim that his fundamental rights to engage in his profession had been infringed under the circumstances.

Senior Counsel Lakshan Dias appeared for the petitioner. Senior Deputy Solicitor General Rajiv Goonetillake appeared for the Attorney General.

Comments - 8

Steemer Thursday, 02 April 2026 12:34 PM

Udayakumara will have to pay a lot more in the future for the lip service he provides to the whims

2 1

Aquarius Thursday, 02 April 2026 01:02 PM

Justice is finally working, This could not have have happened in the past.

1 1

Lankan Thursday, 02 April 2026 01:37 PM

Good decision. Police are not above the law.

1 2

Cheers Thursday, 02 April 2026 01:49 PM

Great to see the supreme court now screwing the jvp tactics as if not it will be out of hands. Make sure Sally saga the corrupt government and CID shani and the crowd punished including the president

2 1

Jude Thursday, 02 April 2026 01:55 PM

Looks like Footler is a another bandu.

0 2

Pina R Balusinha Thursday, 02 April 2026 03:49 PM

Law and order is working well!

1 1

Rajaratnam Thursday, 02 April 2026 03:59 PM

Sri Lanka desperately needs courageous Supreme Court Judges like thes two Judges who made the judgement against the two policemen but the question is who appointed the third Judge as the Chief Justice .

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Ram P Thursday, 02 April 2026 06:25 PM

It would have been better if the matter was referred to a fuller bench of 5 Judges when the 3 judges failed to agree

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