Mumbai, July 17 : Veteran actress Rita Bhaduri, who worked extensively in films and television shows, including the ongoing "Nimki Mukhiya", died here on Tuesday, said a source from the hospital where she was admitted for over a week.

Rita was at the Sujay Hospital in Vile Parle. She was fighting a weak kidney and was on dialysis. "She died at around 1.30 a.m. and her family members took her body from the hospital at around 4 a.m.," the source told IANS.

With a career spanning over five decades, Rita played important supporting parts in movies like "Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa", "Kya Kehna", "Dil Vil Pyar Vyar" and "Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon". She also featured in Gujarati movies.

On the TV front, her credits include popular shows like "Hasratein", "Sarabhai vs Sarabhai", "Khichdi", "Ek Nayi Pehchaan", "Amanat", "Ek Mahal Ho Sapnon Ka" and "Kumkum". She was particularly popular for playing roles of a mother or grandmother.

In "Nimki Mukhiya", she was seen as a Imarti Devi, the grandmother of the house.

Actor Shishir Sharma took to his Facebook account to share the news of Rita's demise.

"We deeply regret to inform you that Rita Bhaduri has departed for her journey beyond... Extremely sad. Lost a wonderful human being... A mother to many of us. Will miss u Ma," he wrote.

Sharma informed that the actress' funeral rites will be held on Tuesday at 12 noon at the Cremation Ground, Parsi Wada Road, Parshiwada, Chakala, Andheri East.

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Bengaluru, Nov 5: The Karnataka Wine Merchants’ Association has alleged that the Excise Minister R B Thimmapur’s office has collected Rs 16 crore from various excise department officers by transferring them in and around Bengaluru.

While the Minister refuted the allegation, the opposition BJP got new ammunition to target the ruling Congress.

In a letter to the Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Secretary and the Karnataka Lokayukta, the Association alleged that the Minister's office is involved in rampant corruption.

“Huge bribes and money laundering took place in the excise minister office in Bengaluru in transferring excise officers and to control illegal collection of money for election purposes from excise officials,” the letter sent by mail read.

Explaining further, the Association said about Rs 16 crore has been collected on a single day from three deputy commissioners of excise, nine excise superintendents, 13 deputy superintendents of excise and 20 excise inspectors “for transferring in and around Bengaluru from past 2 to 3.5 years, as their tenure was getting completed within a month.”

Naming a deputy commissioner, the letter said the officer was collecting money somewhere between Rs 25 lakh to Rs 40 lakh from each officer for transferring them.

The Association said Rs 2.5 crore to Rs three crore was collected from deputy commissioners (excise) working in Bengaluru.

The association has demanded action against those involved "in this corruption."

“No such thing has happened. You must ask them why they went to pay money. Why would anyone pay if everything is correct?” Thimmapur told reporters at Shiggaon in Haveri district.

He also assured to take action against officers if they have collected money.

“The matter is that when these people (wine merchants) do something wrong then they (officers) harass them. The wine merchants should rectify themselves,” the Minister said.

The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, R Ashoka alleged that there was a Rs 700 crore liquor scam in the state.

“The Karnataka Wine Merchants’ Association in its letter to CM @Siddaramaiah has alleged that State Excise Minister R B Timmapur is involved in blatant extortion and bribery, unfolding another dark episode of the series of scams by 'SCAM'gress Govt in Karnataka,” he said in a post on ‘X’.

He said the Association has alleged that CL7 bar licences were given after collecting a bribe amount of anywhere between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 70 lakh each by the Minister.

In the last one year, 1,000 such illegal licences were given by the excise minister, amounting to Rs 300 crore to Rs 700 crore in corruption, Ashoka alleged.

“After the Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation Scam, MUDA land scam, KIADB land scam, Waqf Scam, this Liquor scam is yet another fresh addition to the series of scams by CM Siddaramaiah led Congress Government in the last 17 months,” the BJP leader alleged.

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