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Powerful southern Indian politician Jayaram Jayalalitha cleared of corruption charges

Associated Press
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A member of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) displays a locket with a portrait of party supremo and former Tamil Nadu state chief minister Jayaram Jayalalitha as she celebrates a court verdict in Chennai, India, Monday, May 11, 2015. An appeals court in southern India acquitted powerful regional politician Jayalalitha of corruption charges Monday, clearing the way for her to return to public office. Jayalalitha was forced last year to step down as the highest elected official in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, after a Bangalore court in September convicted her of possessing wealth disproportionate to her income and sentenced her to four years in prison. (AP Photo/Arun Sankar K.) (The Associated Press)

Members of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) hold a portrait of party supremo and former Tamil Nadu state chief minister Jayaram Jayalalitha as they celebrate a court verdict in Chennai, India, Monday, May 11, 2015. An appeals court in southern India acquitted powerful regional politician Jayalalitha of corruption charges Monday, clearing the way for her to return to public office. Jayalalitha was forced last year to step down as the highest elected official in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, after a Bangalore court in September convicted her of possessing wealth disproportionate to her income and sentenced her to four years in prison. (AP Photo/Arun Sankar K.) (The Associated Press)

Supporters of Jayaram Jayalalitha cheer after an appeals court in southern India acquitted her of corruption charges in Chennai, India, Monday, May 11, 2015. Jayalalitha was forced last year to step down as the highest elected official in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, after a Bangalore court in September convicted her of possessing wealth disproportionate to her income and sentenced her to four years in prison. (AP Photo/Arun Sankar K) (The Associated Press)

An appeals court in southern India has acquitted powerful regional politician Jayaram Jayalalitha of corruption charges, clearing the way for her to return to public office.

Supporters from Jayalalitha's party cheered, set off fire crackers and danced in the streets of the Tamil Nadu state capital of Chennai, her hometown, after the Karnataka High Court in Bangalore delivered its verdict Monday.

The 67-year-old Jayalalitha, a film star in her youth, said in a statement that the verdict showed she'd done nothing wrong, and that the case was "foisted (on me) by political enemies."

In throwing out the prosecution's case, Justice C.R. Kumaraswamy said the prosecution had failed to prove Jayalalitha was guilty.