Section 248: Persons in court may be required to give evidence though not summoned

A person present in court and compellable as a witness, whether a party or not, in a cause, may be compelled by a court to give evidence, and produce any document in his possession, or in his power, in the same manner and subject to the same rules as if he had been summoned to attend and give evidence, or to produce the document and may be punished in like manner for any refusal to obey the order of the court.