The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed till further orders the trial in Professor H S Sabharwal murder case.

A Bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and D K Jain also issued notices to the state of Madhya Pradesh on a petition filed by Himanshu Singh Sabharwal, son of the deceased professor, seeking transfer of trial from Madhya Pradesh to Delhi.

Earlier, counsel for the petitioner contended before the court that free and fair trial was not possible in Madhya Pradesh as the state administration as well as the police were sparing no efforts in shielding and protecting the culprits who belong to the student wing of the ruling party (Bharatiya Janata Party) in the state.

He also contended that the witnesses in the case were turning hostile under threat and pressure from sympathisers of the culprits who are the members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

Professor Sabharwal of Madhav College in Ujjain had died of cardiac arrest on August 26, 2006, after he was badly thrashed by ABVP supporters following cancellation of student union elections in the college.

ABVP leaders Akela and others are facing trial for the murder of the professor.

Himanshu had earlier filed a petition for a CBI inquiry into the murder of his father on the grounds that he had no faith in the state police and the evidence was being systematically destroyed in the case to ensure the acquittal of the culprits.