Arun Jaitley passes away at 66

Arun Jaitley, senior BJP leader and former Finance Minister, breathed his last on Saturday afternoon after battling a long illness.

He was 66.

The end of an illustrious career spanning the legal and political arenas came at 12:07 pm at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where he was admitted on August 9 following complaints of breathlessness and restlessness.

Jaitley’s death comes within weeks of Sushma Swaraj, another BJP stalwart, who breathed her last on August 6.

Jaitley was unwell for the last two years, particularly after he underwent a kidney transplant surgery last year.

In 2014, Jaitley had undergone a bariatric surgery to address the excess weight he had gained due to diabetes.

“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,” the AIIMS said in a statement here.

Home Minister Amit Shah has cut short his visit to Hyderabad and was rushing to the national capital.