Former finance minister Arun Jaitley passed away in Delhi on Friday afternoon after prolonged illness. The 66-year-old had been admitted to AIIMS, New Delhi, since 9 August.
Former finance minister Arun Jaitley passed away in Delhi on Friday afternoon after prolonged illness. The 66-year-old had been admitted to AIIMS, New Delhi, since 9 August.
“It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Member of Parliament & Former Finance Minister, Government of India at 12:07 pm on 24th August, 2019. Shri Arun Jaitley was admitted in AIIMS, New Delhi on 09/08/2019 and was treated by a multidisciplinary team of senior Doctors,” said a release by AIIMS.
As per hospital sources, health of former finance minister Arun Jaitley deteriorated on Friday, said. Jaitley was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here on August 9 after he complained of breathlessness and restlessness. He was on life support since Tuesday, sources said.
Jaitley, a lawyer by profession, had been a key member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet in the BJP government’s first term. He held the finance and defence portfolios, and often acted as the chief troubleshooter of the government. Arun Jaitley did not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election, presumably because of his ill-health.
In May this year, Arun Jaitley was admitted to AIIMS for treatment. He had undergone a renal transplant on May 14 last year at AIIMS with Railways Minister Piyush Goyal filling in for him in the finance ministry at that time.
In September 2014, he underwent bariatric surgery to correct the weight he had gained because of a long-standing diabetic condition.
