Police should not ignore mandates of Juvenile Justice Act: HC

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday observed that though the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 is very clear on how to deal with teens when they are committing an offense, the police are ignoring the law and making arrests.

A division bench of Justice PN Prakash and Justice G Jayachandran made these observations while hearing a petition filed by a father of a minor girl.

The petitioner sought direction to the social welfare department to send his daughter back home from the government shelter. The girl was sent to the government protection centre after a guy tied a mangalsutra for her at a bus stand. After the video of the incident went viral on social media, police booked the minor boy and arrested him.

When the matter came before the bench, the judges observed that the pressure which came from social media made the district Collector and superintendent of police act in haste. “What do the authorities have achieved by arresting these minors,” the bench questioned.

Amicus Curiae advocate Chandru noted that even though the law and verdicts of the courts are there to regulate the authorities in the cases of juveniles, there are issues in implementing the same.

Recording the submissions, the court observed that the higher officials should take responsibility or they should be kept liable when the Juvenile Justice Act is violated.

The court further directed the Children Welfare Committee, health, social welfare, and police departments to consult together and collectively file a report to proceed with the cases against the juveniles.

The matter has been adjourned by two weeks.