Jurie and Padmendra acquitted in Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant crown incident

Caroline Jurie and Chula Padmendra have been acquitted and released following a lengthy trial over a contentious incident at the 2021 Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant. Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama delivered the verdict, concluding that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges of forcibly removing the crown from and assaulting pageant winner Pushpika De Silva.

The incident drew widespread attention when Jurie, a former Mrs. World titleholder, removed the crown from De Silva's head moments after she was announced as the winner at the 2021 pageant, citing concerns about De Silva's marital status and previous pageant participation. The altercation sparked public debate about pageant regulations and conduct.

Both Jurie and Padmendra were charged in connection with the incident. Following the court's determination that evidence presented by prosecutors was insufficient to sustain the charges, the pair were acquitted and discharged from custody. The verdict concludes a legal matter that had remained in the spotlight since the pageant incident occurred.