Paris, June 22 (IANS): Former International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was forced to quit his post in 2011 over an alleged sexual assault in a US hotel, has made Twitter debut with the message "Jack is back", media reported on Monday.

"Hello Twitter! Jack is back," tweeted the disgraced former IMF chief on Sunday. Twitter confirmed that the account was genuine, The Independent reported, adding that within hours he accumulated some 21,000 followers.

A French court on Friday acquitted Strauss-Kahn of charges of aggravated pimping and allegedly orchestrating a hotel prostitution ring.

It is believed that the Twitter post intended to signal the beginning of a new phase in his life and career.

The verdict brought to a close four years of legal proceedings against Strauss-Kahn, including charges of attempted rape.

The former IMF chief, who was considered a viable presidential candidate to compete for the country's top job in 2012, saw his political career end after his May 2011 arrest in New York over rape charges made by a Sofitel Hotel room-cleaner, Naffisatou Diallo.

Diallo dropped the charges in 2012 when Strauss-Kahn settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.

He kept his distance from France's political life, leaving the way open to Francois Hollande to win the race to the Elysee Palace three years ago.