law: Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 
  17. Intermediate custody of persons removed under section
  
  15 or rescued under section 16 
  (1) When the special police officer removing a 23[person]
  
  under sub-section (4) of section 15 or a Police officer rescuing a 23[person]
  
  under sub-section (l) of section 16, is for any reason unable to produce him
  
  before the appropriate magistrate as required by sub-section (5) of section 15,
  
  or before the magistrate issuing the order under sub-section (2) of section 16,
  
  he shall forth with produce him before the nearest magistrate of any class, who
  
  shall pass such orders as he deems proper for his safe custody until he is
  
  produced before the appropriate magistrate, or, as the case may be, the
  
  magistrate issuing the order:
  Provided that no 23[person] shall be-
  ( i ) detained in custody under this
  
  sub-section for a period exceeding ten days from the date of the order under
  
  this sub-section; or
  (ii) restored to or placed in the custody of a person who may
  
  exercise a harmful influence over him.
  (2) When the 23[person] is produced before the
  
  appropriate magistrate under sub-section (5) of section 15 or the magistrate
  
  under sub-section (2) of section 16, he shall, after giving him an opportunity
  
  of being heard, cause an inquiry to be made as to the correctness of the
  
  information received under sub-section (1) of section 16, the age, character
  
  and antecedents of the 23[person] and the suitability of him
  
  parents, guardian or husband for taking charge of him and the nature of the
  
  influence which the conditions in his home are likely to have on him If he is
  
  sent home, and, for this purpose, he may direct a probation officer appointed
  
  under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 (20 of 1958), to inquire into the
  
  above circumstances and into the personality of the 23[person] and
  
  the prospects of his rehabilitation.
  (3) The magistrate may, while an inquiry is made into a case
  
  under sub-section (2), pass such orders as he deems proper for the safe custody
  
  of the 23[person].
   50  [Provided that where a person rescued under section
  
  16 is a child or minor, it shall be open to the magistrate to place such child
  
  or minor in any institution established or recognized under any Children Act
  
  for the time being in force in any State for the safe custody of children:
  Provided  further that, [no 23person] shall
  
  be kept in custody for the purpose for a period’ exceeding three weeks from the
  
  date of such an order, and no 23[person] shall be kept in the
  
  custody of a person likely to have a harmful influence over him.
  (4) Where the magistrate is satisfied, after making an inquiry
  
  as required under sub-section (2), - 
  (a) that the information received is correct;
  
  and
  (b) that he is in need of care and protection,
  
  he may, subject to the provisions of sub-section (5), make an order that such 23[person]
  
  be detained for such period, being not less than one year and not more than
  
  three years, as may be specified in the order, in a protective home, or in such
  
  other custody as he shall, for reasons to be recorded in writing, consider
  
  suitable :
  Provided  that such custody shall not be that of a
  
  person or body of persons of a religious persuasion different from that of the 23[person],
  
  and that those entrusted with the custody of the 23[person]
  
  including the persons in charge of a protective home, may be required to enter
  
  into a bond which may, where necessary and feasible, contain undertakings based
  
  on directions relating to the proper care, guardianship, education, training
  
  and medical and psychiatric treatment of the 23[person] as well as
  
  supervision by a person appointed by the court, which will be in force for a
  
  period not exceeding three years.
  (5) In discharging his functions under sub-section (2), a
  
  magistrate may summon a panel of five respectable persons, three of whom shall,
  
  wherever practicable, be women, to assist him; and may, for this purpose, keep
  
  a list of experienced social welfare workers, particularly women social welfare
  
  workers in the field of suppression of immoral traffic in 51[persons].
  
  
  (6) An appeal against an order made under sub-section (4) shall
  
  lie to the-Court of Session whose decision on such appeal shall be final.]