Arun Jaitley returns to India after treatment, says 'delighted to be back home'

Union Minister Arun Jaitley, who was undergoing medical treatment, relating to his kidney ailment, in the United States, on Saturday returned to India. Taking to Twitter, Jaitley confirmed the news, saying "delighted to be back home". In mid-January, days ahead of the Interim Budget 2019, Jaitley had unexpectedly left for the US. In his absence, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was appointed as the interim finance minister and given the additional charge of the ministry.

Though there was no immediate word from the ministry on the nature of his illness, sources said Jaitley had gone to the US on January 13 and underwent surgery after being tested for soft tissue cancer. Doctors, they say, had advised him two weeks' rest. Jaitley, 66, who was scheduled to present his sixth and the BJP-led NDA government's last budget on February 1, gave a miss to the session due to his ailment.

Delighted to be back home.

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 9, 2019

However, the BJP leader, who is currently minister without portfolio, remained active on Twitter and blog posts despite his ailment in the past few weeks.

Last year in April, Jaitley was admitted to AIIMS following which he underwent dialysis. He had a renal transplant surgery on May 14, 2018. Jaitley, who had stopped attending office at the beginning of April, was back in North Block - the seat of Finance Ministry - on August 23.  

In September 2014, he had undergone a bariatric surgery to treat weight gain that he suffered because of a long-standing diabetic condition. That surgery was first performed at Max Hospital, but Jaitley was later shifted to AIIMS because of complications. He also went through a heart surgery several years ago.

(With inputs from agencies)