Patna, Sept. 2: The high court on Monday directed authorities concerned not to take any coercive step, till further orders, against the doctor who allegedly left a piece of cloth in the stomach of a patient during an operation.

A bench of Justice J.N. Singh also directed the state government, the patient and the doctor to take the piece of cloth out of the stomach. The replies have to be filed within four weeks.

The court passed the direction on a petition challenging the orders passed by Bihar Human Rights Commission against Dr Anjali Lal for payment of a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the patient, Rani Devi.

In its order on July 4, 2013, the commission had passed a slew of directives against Lal.

It had directed Lal to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to Rani Devi.