The Supreme Court on Monday warned lawyers not to abuse their power and resort to unlawful tactics. “Lawyers cannot indulge in goondaism. We will put it down with an iron hand. We will bring them to their senses,” observed a vacation Bench of Justices Markandeya Katju and Deepak Verma while staying the arrest of a few doctors accused of medical negligence after an advocate died. Enraged, his colleagues had allegedly ransacked the private hospital in Allahabad.

The SC also stayed the proceedings pending in the Allahabad High Court in the matter relating to the death of advocate Laxmi Kant Mishra due to alleged negligence at Jeevan Jyoti Hospital, where he was taken after suffering serious injuries in a road accident on February 2. “You can’t indulge in such goondaism. If you have the guts, do it before the apex court, we will show you,” the Bench noted.

The court made these remarks while staying the arrest of Dr A K Bansal, director of the hospital, and other doctors of Jeevan Jyoti Hospital, who had challenged the registration of a murder case on the complaint of Surendra Nath Mishra, brother of the deceased. In his petition, Bansal said Laxmi Kant had died in the hospital after developing septicemia despite the best medical efforts. However, after the incident, scores of lawyers barged into the hospital, ransacked the premises and assaulted the staff and patients.