FORMER chief minister of Tamil Nadu, India, and former film star Jayaram Jayalalitha was cleared of corruption charges yesterday.

Supporters of Jayalalitha — as she is simply known — danced and set off fireworks in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state, after the Karnataka High Court in Bangalore dismissed the charges.

The former actress said that the verdict proved that the case had been “foisted (on me) by political enemies.”

Jayalalitha has been elected chief minister four times, but was forced to resign last year after being convicted of “possessing wealth disproportionate to her income” — a single token rupee (1p) each month.

Yesterday’s verdict may pave the way for her return to office.

Jayalalitha is a member of the All India Anna Dravidian Progress Federation, which is currently in power in Tamil Nadu state and the third largest party in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s parliament.