IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA In the matter of an Appeal in terms of Article 128 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

The Officer in Charge, Police Station, Wellawatte.

Complainant SC Appeal No: 12/2019 SC (SPL) LA No. 109/2018 CA (PHC) APN No. 159/2016 HC Colombo No. HC RA 31/2013 MC Colombo No. 90151/3/11 Vs.

1. Royal Hospital (Pvt.) Ltd., No. 62, W.A. de Silva Mawatha, Wellawatte, Colombo 06.

2. Widanagama Arachchige Nalin Sankha Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

3. Ratnayake Premachandra Weerasinghe, No. 12, Woodland Avenue, Kohuwela.

4. Susila Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

5. Dinesh Thiwanka Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

6. Menaka Erangi Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

Accused AND BETWEEN

1. Royal Hospital (Pvt.) Ltd., No. 62, W.A de Silva Mawatha, Wellawatte, Colombo 06.

2. Widhanagamaarachchige Nalin Sankha Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

3. Ratnayake Premachandra Weerasinghe, No. 12, Woodland Avenue, Kohuwela.

4. Susila Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

5. Dinesh Thiwanka Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

6. Menaka Erangi Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

Accused-Petitioners Vs.

1. The Officer in Charge, Police Station, Wellawatte.

Complainant-Respondent

2. Hon. Attorney General, Attorney General’s Department, Colombo 12. Respondent AND BETWEEN

1. Royal Hospital (Pvt.) Ltd., No. 62, W.A de Silva Mawatha, Wellawatte, Colombo 06.

2. Widhanagamaarachchige Nalin Sankha Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

3. Susila Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

4. Dinesh Thiwanka Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

5. Menaka Erangi Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

Accused-Petitioners-Petitioners Vs.

1. The Officer in Charge, Police Station, Wellawatte.

Complainant-Respondent-

Respondent

2. Hon. Attorney General, Attorney General’s Department, Colombo 12.

Respondent-Respondent AND NOW BETWEEN

1. Royal Hospital (Pvt.) Ltd., No. 62, W.A de Silva Mawatha, Wellawatte, Colombo 06.

2. Widhanagamaarachchige Nalin Sankha Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

3. Susila Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

4. Dinesh Thiwanka Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

5. Menaka Erangi Ranaweera, No. 12, Sukustan Garden, Ward Place, Colombo 07.

Accused-Petitioner-Petitioner-

Appellants Vs.

1. The Officer in Charge, Police Station, Wellawatte.

Complainant-Respondent-

Respondent-Respondent 2. Hon. Attorney General, Attorney General’s Department, Colombo 12.

Respondent-Respondent-

Respondent Before: Justice Murdu N.B. Fernando, PC Justice E.A.G.R. Amarasekara Justice A.L. Shiran Gooneratne Counsel: Rienzie Arseculeratne, PC with Thilina Punchihewa, Eranga Yakandawala, Punsisi Gamage and Erandi Pathiranage for the Accused-Petitioners-Petitioners-Appellants.

V. Hettige, SDSG for the Respondent-Respondent-

Respondent.

Argued on: 23/03/2023, 10/05/2023 and 21/02/2024 Decided on: 05/06/2024 A.L. Shiran Gooneratne J.

By an amended charge sheet dated 17/01/2012, the 1^st Complainant-Respondent- Respondent-Respondent (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Complainant-Respondent’) instituted action No. M.C. Colombo 90151/3/11 against the 1^st to 5^th Accused- Petitioners-Petitioners-Petitioners (‘the 1^st to 5^th Accused-Appellants’) for committing an offence punishable under Section 31 of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board Act No. 02 of 1974 [as amended] (hereinafter referred to as the NWSDB Act)

and further sought to recover damages in a sum of Rs. 671,622. 40.

The 1^st Accused-Petitioner, Royal Hospitals (Pvt) Ltd., is a company incorporated under the Companies Act. The 2^nd Accused-Petitioner is the Chairman of the said hospital and 3^rd to 5^th Accused-Petiti