Section 177

If any witness before a Court refuses to give evidence or answer such questions as are put to him or to produce any document in his possession or power which the Court requires him to produce, and does not offer any reasonable excuse for such refusal, such Court may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, sentence him to imprisonment for any term not exceeding seven days, unless in the meantime such person consents to give evidence or to be examined and to answer such questions or to produce the document; but if his persisting in his refusal, he may be dealt with according to section 173 or 175 notwithstanding any sentence he may have undergone under this section.