PM visits 'dear friend' Arun Jaitley's family

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the family members of former Union minister Arun Jaitley at his residence in New Delhi on Tuesday and offered floral tributes to a portrait of the departed leader.

Jaitley, 66, passed away at the All Institute of medical Sciences in New Delhi on Saturday.

Union home minister Amit Shah arrived at Jaitley's residence earlier and received the prime minister along with Rohan Jaitley, the former Union finance minister's son.

Other family members were also present when Modi walked in and spoke to Jaitley's wife and children.

The prime minister spent about 20-25 minutes at Jaitley's residence.

Modi was on a three-nation tour when the senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party passed away.

He had spoken with Jaitley's wife Sangeeta and son Rohan on Saturday.

Addressing a gathering in Bahrain, the prime minister had said: "I cannot imagine that I am here in Bahrain, while my dear friend Arun Jaitley is no more. Some days ago, we lost our former external affairs minister behen Sushma (Swaraj) ji. Today, my dear friend Arun went away."

Modi returned to India early Tuesday morning.

Rohan immersed his father's ashes in the Ganga in Haridwar on Monday.