Section 167 of The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam :Using, as evidence, of document production of which was refused on notice.
Using, as evidence, of document production of which was refused on notice. The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023
When a party refuses to produce a document which he has had notice to produce, he cannot afterwards use the document as evidence without the consent of the other party or the order of the Court.
Illustration.
A sues B on an agreement and gives B notice to produce it. At the trial, A calls for the document and B refuses to produce it. A gives secondary evidence of its contents. B seeks to produce the document itself to contradict the secondary evidence given by A, or in order to show that the agreement is not stamped. He cannot do so.