Former BJP President Bangaru Laxman dead

Former BJP President Bangaru Laxman, who was caught on camera in 2001 while accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh in a fake defence deal hugely embarrassing the National Democratic Alliance government, died at a hospital in Hyderabad on Saturday.

A former Union minister, Laxman, who was to turn 75 on March 17, was not keeping well for some time due to a kidney ailment and died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital 5 pm.

He is survived by three daughters and a son.

The first Dalit president of BJP, he had hit the headlines when he was caught on camera receiving money from a purported arms dealer in a sting operation by Tehelka. He was convicted in the case by a Special CBI Court in 2012.

The episode also marked the advent of sting journalism in the country.

Born in a dalit family in Andhra Pradesh, he joined politics at an early age and was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1996. He was also jailed during the Emergency in 1975.

His wife Susheela Laxman Bangaru was a BJP member of 14th Lok Sabha and was elected from Jalore constituency in Rajasthan. He is survived by his wife, a son and three daughters.

BJP President Rajnath Singh and other party leaders have condoled the death of Laxman.