Vishal Rambani is an assistant editor covering Punjab. A journalist with over a decade of experience, he writes on politics, crime, power sector, environment and socio-economic issues. He has several investigative stories to his credit.
Articles by Vishal Rambani
With eyes on 2027 polls, Bajwa leads Cong crusade in Punjab
Partap Singh Bajwa, who opposed the Congress-AAP alliance in Punjab, attacks the state government as much as he targets the BJP, dubbing both parties as anti-Punjab.
Updated on May 31, 2024 05:10 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Qadian (gurdaspur)
Heat is on: Fast melting snow doubles water inflow into reservoirs
The CWC, monitoring the live storage status of 150 reservoirs in the country, has reported 10 feet increase in the water level in Bhakra Dam.
Updated on May 28, 2024 01:57 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
In multi-cornered contest, AAP battles to regain Sangrur citadel
Overall, it appears to be a contest mainly among the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar).
Updated on May 25, 2024 07:32 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Sangrur
EC seeks report from chief secretary on Hamdard FIR
The case pertains to alleged misappropriation of funds in the construction of ₹315-crore Jang-e-Azadi Memorial at Kartarpur in Jalandhar.
Updated on May 24, 2024 07:06 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Jang-e-Azadi memorial probe: VB books Ajit Group managing editor Barjinder Singh Hamdard, 25 others
The VB has arrested 15 people , including Ludhiana-based builder Deepak Singal and 14 PWD officials in the case.
Updated on May 23, 2024 09:02 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Jang-e-Azadi memorial probe: Punjab VB books Ajit Group editor Barjinder Singh Hamdard
Others among those booked are IAS officer Viney Bublani and owners of Deepak Builder that constructed the building
Updated on May 22, 2024 05:39 PM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Cong top guns to hold over 10 rallies in
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge will hold mass meetings in Punjab between May 23 and 29.
Updated on May 22, 2024 05:36 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Punjab’s power demand peaks at 14K MW, season’s highest
The electricity demand in May has increased by 16% compared with the corresponding period last year. The daily supply is 2,070 lakh units this month that is 21% more than last year’s 1,700 lakh units.
Updated on May 21, 2024 05:18 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
PPCB mulls setting up plant for hydrochloric acid recovery
Several industrial units in Ludhiana dump the spent hydrochloric acid in sewerage, resulting in mishaps during the sewerage cleaning process besides inflicting damages on environment. Setting up such a plant will recover the HCL from acidic waste and it will be provided back to consumers concerned for reuse, says the PPCB.
Updated on May 16, 2024 05:02 AM IST
Farmers’ rail roko: Shambhu blockade hits coal supply to thermal plants, PSPCL feels heat
Farmers’ ‘rail roko’ protest at Shambhu, affecting coal supplies to Punjab's thermal power plants, leads to train cancellations and losses for PSPCL.
Updated on May 09, 2024 07:14 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Congress fields ex-MP Sher Singh Ghubaya from Ferozepur
Congress fields former MP Sher Singh Ghubaya, 62, from Ferozepur LS seat, completing candidate list for all 13 seats in Punjab. Ghubaya faces AAP and Akali Dal candidates.
Updated on May 08, 2024 09:34 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Ferozepur LS seat: Congress in wait-and-watch mode, wants BJP to name candidate first
The Congress, which has declared candidates for the 12 Lok Sabha seats of the total 13 in Punjab, is adopting a wait-and-watch policy for Ferozepur seat
Updated on May 06, 2024 07:34 AM IST
Punjab: Congress banks on heavyweights Warring in Ludhiana, Randhawa in Gurdaspur
Former Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla shifted to Anandpur Sahib, while former MLA Kulbir Singh Zira faces tough fight in Khadoor Sahib.
Updated on Apr 29, 2024 05:10 PM IST
Election commission no to panchayat land auctions
The auctions, held annually after Baisakhi, are a major source of income for PRIs, and this year, the department hoped to earn nearly ₹500 crore after auctioning 1.41 lakh acres of panchayat land in the state.
Updated on Apr 25, 2024 07:50 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Punjab: Cong fields women candidates from Hoshiarpur, Faridkot seats
The Congress on Monday named two women candidates – Yamini Gomar from Hoshiarpur and Amarjit Kaur Sahoke from Faridkot, both reserve seats – for the Lok Sabha elections
Updated on Apr 23, 2024 07:58 AM IST
Uncertainty looms over Cong sitting MPs Sadiq, Dimpa’s candidature
Both, along with other Punjab MPs, had met the former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on April 5, however while the names of MPs Manish Tewari, Dr Amar Singh, and Gurjeet Singh Aujla were included in the list, Sadiq and Dimpa missed the bus
Updated on Apr 16, 2024 07:44 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Ex-CM Channi to contest from Jalandhar, Khaira is Sangrur pick in Congress’ list of six candidates for Punjab
Congress unveils its Punjab Lok Sabha candidates, including Sukhpal Singh Khaira in Sangrur, setting up a fierce battle against AAP and Akali Dal candidates.
Updated on Apr 15, 2024 08:02 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Guava orchard scam: VB seeks Punjab govt approval to act against IAS, PCS officials
Sanction has been sought under Section 17-A of the PC Act against IAS officers Vipul Ujjawal and Rajesh Dhiman and PCS officer Jagdeep Saigal among others
Updated on Apr 07, 2024 07:54 AM IST
Liquor meant for sale in Gurdaspur, Bathinda smuggled into ‘dry’ Bihar
Of the total liquor seized in Bihar in the past three months, 41% has been manufactured in Punjab and 7% in Haryana. This hints at pilferage of liquor and extra neutral alcohol (ENA) -- primarily used as a base for spirits and alcoholic beverages -- from distilleries, which are being monitored through CCTV cameras 24X7 by the excise officials
Updated on Apr 07, 2024 07:30 AM IST
Hit by high-profile defections, Congress set to fall back on heavyweights in Punjab
Likely to field Dharamvira Gandhi against Preneet in MP, Sukhpal Khaira in Sangrur, former CM Channi in Jalandhar
Updated on Apr 02, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Lodge FIR against DSP, 2 other cops for implicating PCS officer in graft case, ays Punjab home department
All three cops were posted in the vigilance bureau when the trio conspired with two private transporters to implicate the PCS officer on graft charges
Updated on Apr 01, 2024 07:46 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Four Punjab Cong MPs scotch speculation on BJP switch
Jakhar during a press conference in Chandigarh, had said: “Anything can happen, you never know”, while replying to a question if Tewari could join BJP in the coming days
Updated on Mar 29, 2024 06:30 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
ED summons 3 Punjab officials over excise policy
After Delhi CM Kejriwal's arrest, ED turns to Punjab, summons officials linked to excise policy. Opposition seeks ED probe into state's liquor policy.
Updated on Mar 28, 2024 08:26 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Drugs and graft case: More trouble for Punjab Police DIG Inderbir as co-accused turns approver
In a fresh trouble for 2007-batch IPS officer deputy inspector general (DIG) of police Inderbir Singh, a Tarn Taran court has declared one of the co-accused --- suspended deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Lakhbir Singh Sandhu --- as an approver in a drugs and corruption case of 2022
Updated on Mar 22, 2024 07:06 AM IST
Navjot Sidhu back in the IPL commentary box, not playing ball for LS polls
Before he joined politics two decades ago, Sidhu, 60, was a popular cricket commentator, known for his one-liners and witty remarks
Published on Mar 19, 2024 04:01 PM IST
Lok Sabha polls: Sidhu’s googly for Punjab Congress, joins IPL as commentator
This rules out his contesting LS elections as the party was planning to field him from Patiala in a likely contest against outgoing MP Preneet Kaur, who quit the Congress to join the BJP last week.
Updated on Mar 19, 2024 02:59 PM IST
Two years of AAP govt: Free power powers populism in Punjab
The Aam Aadmi Party had in July 2022 implemented its poll promise of providing 300 units of power free to each consumer every month. Since then it has directly benefited 88% consumers to the tune of ₹11,500 crore.
Updated on Mar 16, 2024 08:30 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Two years of AAP govt: Punjab’s fight against corruption on course
The VB unearthed the foodgrain transportation scam, the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) plot scam, transport department illegal verification scam besides the forest department scam
Updated on Mar 16, 2024 08:24 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
With Preneet’s exit, Cong struggling to find ‘suitable’ candidate from Patiala
With sitting MP Preneet Kaur, now suspended from the party, set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, the grand old party is finding it hard to find a suitable candidate from the Patiala seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls
Updated on Mar 14, 2024 06:46 AM IST
Punjab VB probing PPAs sends teams to private thermal plants after government nudge
Probing PPAs signed during the decade-long Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime between 2007 and 2017 is one of the main poll promises of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and CM Bhagwant Mann-led government after getting assent to the Bill scrapping the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Repeal Bill, on October 25 ordered VB to start the probe afresh
Updated on Mar 12, 2024 08:30 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh