A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court on Monday stayed trial proceedings against the Hinduja brothers in the Bofors case before a special court in Delhi.

Chief Justice G B Pattanaik, Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice S B Sinha granted the stay order on an application filed by the Hindujas seeking a stay on the trial during the pendency of the appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation challenging the quashing of the charge sheet against them by the Delhi high court.

Despite protests by Solicitor General Kirit Rawal, the bench ordered: "Let there be stay of trial until CBI files response to the application filed by Hindujas, which may be put up for hearing after four weeks."

This prompted Rawal ask, "Is there a special provision for Hindujas?" He said the court had permitted the trial to go on while admitting the CBI appeal against the Delhi high court order.

The bench felt that the continuance of the trial would be a travesty of justice for the fact that criminal proceedings against the Hindujas were quashed by the Delhi high court.