s 16 Penalty for escape from lawful custody of welfare home
16. Any person who —(a) escapes from the police while committed to the charge of the police under this Act; (b) leaves a welfare home in which the person is required to reside in accordance with section 3 or to which the person has been admitted on the person’s own application under section 5, without the permission of the person-in-charge of the welfare home; or[Act 14 of 2025 wef 01/07/2026] (c) having obtained the permission of the person-in-charge of a welfare home to leave the welfare home for a limited time or for a specified purpose, but fails to return at the end of that time or when that purpose has been accomplished or found to be impracticable,[Act 14 of 2025 wef 01/07/2026] shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months.