Section 77 in The Maharashtra Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2002
77. Duties and functions of Special Juvenile Police Unit and Police.
(1)Whenever a charge of a child is taken by the Police, the child shall be referred to the Juvenile/Child Welfare Officer for investigation, who in turn will after a preliminary enquiry arrange to produce the juvenile/child before the Competent Authority as the case may be.(2)The child shall be treated with decency and dignity while doing investigation, enquiry, search etc.(3)A girl child shall be subjected to search by a female staff.(4)The Juvenile/child welfare officer or the head of the Special Juvenile Police Unit shall arrange for the escorting of the child to be produce before the Competent Authority through police in plain clothes or by volunteers from Non-Governmental Organizations.(5)Police shall prevent taking charge of a juvenile in conflict with law between Sunset and Sunrise. Provided that in case of taking charge, instead of keeping the juvenile in the police station or lockup, shall arrange to keep the juvenile in a place of safety or Observation Home or in a fit institution or under the care of a fit person after recording the facts and circumstances.(6)A juvenile/child shall be produced before the Competent Authority within a period of 24 hours of taking charge excluding the journey time.(7)The police shall strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Supreme Court of India and High Courts while dealing with a juvenile/child.(8)The police shall also ensure that the provision of Convention on the Rights of the Child have been strictly adhered to and all actions are initiated in the best interest of the child.(9)As soon a juvenile is taken charge by the police an intimation shall be sent to the Probation Officer and his/her parent/guardian.(10)Whenever a Juvenile is produced before the Board the police should furnish the following details to the Board,-(a)Date and time of taking charge of juvenile, address of the child, offence said to he committed the place where the child was kept till such time the child was produced before the court.(b)Copy of the intimation letter sent to the Probation Officer or parent or guardian of the child.(c)Details of the property or any articles recovered from the juvenile at the time of taking charge.(11)Whenever an intimation is received by the police about the existence of an abandoned infant, the police shall with the assistance of approved Non-Governmental Organizations or a Social Worker take charge of the infant and arrange to provide immediate medical assistance and subsequently place the child in an Foundling Home if available or to the care of a fit person or fit institution. The police shall immediately send a report to the Committee.(12)Whenever intimation is received from an Non-Governmental Organizations about the possession of an infant child under their care the police shall make an First Information Report in the Station Register. A report shall be sent to the Child Welfare Committee about the action taken in this aspect. A police shall not close a file without making a report to the Committee.(13)The Police shall maintain a list of approved Non-Governmental Organizations functioning in their respective jurisdiction and shall monitor the activities to prevent child trafficking, illegal adoption, keeping children unauthorisedly. The police shall send a monthly report to the Board about the children who are kept unauthorisedly in such institutions.
