(1) If any police officer or any other person authorised by the Government in this behalf by general or special order, is of opinion that a person is apparently a neglected child, such police officer or other person may take charge of that person for bringing him before the children's court.
(2) When information is given to an officer-in-charge of a police station about any neglected child found within the limits of such station, he shall enter in a book to be kept for the purpose, the substance of such information and take such action thereon as he deems fit and if such officer does not propose to take charge of the child, he shall forward a copy of the entry made to the children's court.
(3) Every child taken charge of under sub-section (1) shall be brought before the children's court within a period of twenty-four hours of taking such charge excluding the time necessary for the journey from the place where the child had been taken charge of, to the children's court.
(4) Every child taken charge of under sub-section (1) shall, unless he is kept with his parent or guardian, be sent to an observation home (but not to a police station or jail) until he can be brought before a children's court.