Procedure after arrest.

(1) Any person arrested for an offence under this Act shall be informed, as soon as may be, of the grounds for such arrest and shall be produced before the nearest [Judicial Magistrate] within a period of twenty-four hours of such arrest excluding the time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to the Court of the [Judicial Magistrate] and no such person shall be detained in custody beyond the said period without the authority of a [Judicial Magistrate.] (2) The first remand under this Act shall be given by the Judicial Magistrate before whom the accused is produced. However, the second and subsequent remands of the accused can only be granted by the Children’s Court. (3) Only the Children’s Court shall take cognizance of all offences under this Act which are punishable with imprisonment of either description and of any term. Offences under sections 3, 4, 5 and clause (c) of sub-section (5) of section 7 may be taken cognizance of and tried by the Competent Authority.