I8217;m certain to be absolved, claims Jaya

8220;The Special Court has given a verdict quite contrary to that of the High Court,8221; Jayalalitha said.

She also referred to the proceedings still pending in the Supreme Court on her plea questioning the authority of the Governor to sanction her prosecution in the TANSI case.

Under these circumstances, the Karunanidhi Government hurriedly sought permission from the present Governor for prosecuting me and commenced trial proceedings in the Special Court,8217; the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said.

8220;It is clear from all these contradictory verdicts that there is certainty about justice being done to us,8217; she said.

Claiming that the AIADMK would return to power next year, she said: 8220;The people8217;s forum is eager to teach a lesson to those trying to subvert our growth and glory. It depends on each individual8217;s attitude and perception as to which judgement of the courts one should accept.8221;

Jayalalitha also appealed to her partymen not to sacrifice their lives in protest against her conviction.

She announced a solatium of Rs 10,000 to the family of Raja, a party sympathiser and daily wage earner at Tiruchirappalli, who allegedly set himself on fire and was in hospital for treatment of serious burn injuries.

None need to be disheartened over the court verdict as it was not final and there were enough avenues for appeal and enough opportunities to prove her innocence, she said.

Jayalalitha was sentenced to three years8217; rigorous imprisonment in one case and to two years in another. Both related to the 1992 purchase of state-owned property belonging to the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation TANSI by firms in which she and her close associate Sasikala Natarajan were partners while the former was Chief Minister.

The verdict gave rise to state-wide protests by AIADMK men who damaged buses, burnt one of them and blocked roads in many places and were taken into custody in hundreds.

Jayalalitha had on Tuesday justified the protests as a righteous8217; response to the court verdict.