The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings before an Ahmedabad court in a criminal defamation case filed against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav for his alleged remarks that "only Gujaratis can be thugs".

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal also issued notice to the complainant and sought his response on a transfer plea moved by Yadav seeking transfer of the trial from Gujarat to a `neutral place`.