The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed proceedings in the trial court in Chennai against AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa and her close friend Sasikala Natarajan in a case relating to non-filing of Income Tax returns during 1991-94.

A Bench headed by Justice B N Agrawal, admitted a petition filed by a firm owned by Sasikala challenging the order of the Madras High Court allowing the trial court to proceed with the matter.

The trial court had directed the former chief minister to appear before it on January 29.