News / Author / Vishal Rambani

Vishal Rambani

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

MP Preneet performs ‘nath-chura’ ritual in Patiala to ward off floods

The ritual is usually conducted by the Patiala royal family scion, but as former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh was not in the city, Preneet took on the responsibility

MP Preneet Kaur, along with others, offering traditional 'Nath Chura' to Badi Nadi as a custom to save people from flood situation, in Patiala on Tuesday. (ANI)

cities

Updated on Jul 12, 2023 12:52 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

Bhakra, Pong dams get heavy water inflow

The water level in the Gobind Sagar reservoir of the Bhakra Dam reached 1,615 feet, which is almost 48 feet higher than last year when it was 1567 feet on the corresponding day.

cities

Updated on Jul 11, 2023 01:41 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

Patiala murder: Within hours of killing mother, accused hacked brother to death, say cops

On Sunday, Gurwinder, 23, was arrested for killing his mother Paramjit Kaur, 45, with a sharp-edged weapon and cutting her body into two before setting it on fire at his home in Kangthala village of Patran in Patiala district late on Saturday evening, police said

cities

Updated on Jul 04, 2023 12:51 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

Patiala shocker: Drug addict kills mother, chops body into 2; sets it on fire

Neighbours say the accused, Gurwinder Singh, who is his early 20s, committed the crime as his mother refused to give money for drugs. Patran station house officer Manpreet Singh said the accused and his two accomplices, who helped him in the murder, have been arrested.

Paramjit Kaur, the woman, who was killed by her son, a drug addict. (HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jul 02, 2023 11:54 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

300-unit of free power: Year on , 83% households in Punjab getting zero bill

With nearly ₹6,000 crore as additional power subsidy for ‘zero bills’, the total power subsidy bill of the state is nearing ₹20,000 crore, which includes arrears of past years

A year after the launch, the tentative data shows that consumers got benefits to the tune of <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>6,000 crore for zero bills, a promise made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during the 2022 elections, and implemented within three months of the formation of government. (File Photo)

cities

Updated on Jul 02, 2023 12:30 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

Modi in US: PM’s visit will bolster economies, says Punjab-origin businessman Darshan Dhaliwal

Indian diaspora will be hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, where he will deliver a speech underscoring Indo-US ties and the Indian government’s ground-breaking decisions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Punjab-origin businessman Darshan Singh Dhaliwal and his wife Derba at the State Dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday. (HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jun 23, 2023 01:04 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Paddy sowing: Power demand shoots up to 14,000 MW in Punjab

Likely to surpass 15,500 MW by June-end as final phase of 8-hour supply to farmers begins on June 21

Highest demand and supply are typically observed in the last days of June.

cities

Updated on Jun 19, 2023 11:37 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

Police remove farmers protesting outside PSPCL office in Patiala

Arrest farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was on an indefinite fast; work resumes at power corporation office after five days

Members of the Punjab Cordination Committee of Powercom and Transco Contractual Workers block Fountain Chowk during a protest against the state government in support of their demands, in Patiala on Tuesday. (ANI)

cities

Updated on Jun 13, 2023 11:39 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

Punjab: Police use mild lathicharge to clear PSPCL HQ of protesting farmers

Arrest farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was on an indefinite fast; work resumes at power corporation office after five days

Protesters being taken away from the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) headquarters in Patiala on Tuesday morning. (HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jun 13, 2023 12:42 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Punjab irrigation dept declines JE’s prosecution in corruption case

Water resources principal secretary Krishan Kumar claims official VB caught red-handed not at fault as she was trapped in fabricated case that’s fallout of rivalry

Punjab irrigation department has declined the JE’s prosecution in a corruption case. (HT File)

cities

Updated on Jun 07, 2023 06:59 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

The power battle between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh

The two northern states are fighting over control of operations of a 90-year-old hydroelectric power plant

Shanan hydro project at Jogindernagar in Mandi district. (HT file photo)

cities

Published on Jun 07, 2023 03:47 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Jolt to power consumers, Punjab hikes tariff by 8.64%

With Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission revising fixed and variable tariff upward for all categories, the government’s subsidy burden has risen to ₹21,162 crore

The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission decision to hike power tariff will hit commercial and industrial consumers worst besides the Punjab government itself for its populist decisions of providing 300 units free to domestic consumers besides free power to farmers. (Representational photo)

cities

Updated on May 15, 2023 05:20 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani

More trouble for AAP MLA, ED seeks details of graft case from VB

ED’s regional office in Jalandhar has written to the vigilance bureau to provide details of the entire case. The VB has already presented a chargesheet in the case on April 19

cities

Updated on May 15, 2023 12:50 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

Punjab govt committed to bringing governance at people’s doorsteps: Bhagwant Mann

Kicking off government’s initiative “Sarkar Tuhade Dwar” from Dhuri legislative constituency, chief minister Bhagwant Mann said this step will “further revolutionise the entire governance system” by ensuring delivery of citizen-centric services at doorsteps of people.

Mann said that this initiative will empower people and will prove to be a gamechanger. (HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on May 11, 2023 11:09 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani

40 years on, Punjab govt moves court to claim prime land in Patiala

Court orders status quo after DC finds 8,200 square yards of government land, worth ₹200 crore, usurped by private parties on Bhupindra Road by securing an ex-parte decree

A notice put up on the boundary wall of the disputed property, stating that its sale or purchase has been stopped after a Patiala court ordered status quo. (HT Photo)

cities

Updated on May 08, 2023 05:16 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Punjab crime: Patiala businessman’s murder case solved with rival’s arrest

Police crack case within six hours of incident, say professional rivalry triggered crime as Darshan Singla of Sunam was bagging most government labour contracts and accused Pawan Bajaj was losing out

Businessman Darshan Singla of Sunam was shot dead by his professional rival, Pawan Bajaj, in Patiala on Thursday, police said after arresting him within six hours of the incident. (Representational photo)

cities

Updated on May 05, 2023 04:07 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Ex-DGP Chattopadhyaya chargesheeted for providing security to PO in rape case

Former Punjab top cop Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, who is already facing disciplinary proceedings for a ‘major penalty’ in connection with a security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ferozepur in 2022, has been chargesheeted by the home department for providing security to a proclaimed offender in a rape case.

The chargesheet,has been issued by additional chief secretary (home) (HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on May 02, 2023 01:04 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani

VB awaits nod to prosecute over 100 officials, politicians

The Punjab government is yet to grant the mandatory sanction to prosecute former ministers and officials who are under the vigilance bureau (VB) scanner, officials familiar with the matter said. The VB is waiting to get nod to prosecute more than 100 persons.

Ludhiana Vigilance officials raid ex-Congress MLA Kuldeep Vaid’s restaurant in Pakhowal area in Ludhiana. (HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Apr 05, 2023 01:21 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Patiala village sarpanch, 7 panches suspended for bungling ₹23 crore

The Punjab rural development and panchayats department has suspended the sarpanch and seven panches (members) of Nalas Khurd village in Patiala district for allegedly bungling ₹23 crore during the previous Congress regime

cities

Updated on Apr 04, 2023 12:53 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Sidhu to visit Moose Wala’s house today, to take up law & order issue

A day after being released from Patiala Central Jail, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu announced that he would visit slain singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s residence on Monday

cities

Updated on Apr 03, 2023 12:06 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Out of jail, Navjot Singh Sidhu raps Modi, Bhagwant Mann

Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday evening walked free after spending nearly 10 months in Patiala Central Jail in a 1988 road rage case and targeted the Centre and Punjab government, alleging that democracy is in chains and institutions have turned slaves in the country

cities

Updated on Apr 02, 2023 01:22 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Navjot Sidhu meets Congress leaders in Patiala jail, plans post-release strategy

Senior Congress leaders Laal Singh and Mohinder Singh Kaypee visited Navjot Singh Sidhu in Jail. The duo spent almost half an hour with Navjot Singh Sidhu.

On Friday, senior Congress leaders Laal Singh and Mohinder Singh Kaypee visited Navjot Singh Sidhu in jail. (HT File)

cities

Updated on Apr 01, 2023 07:15 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

1988 road rage case: Navjot Sidhu likely to be released on April 1

Sidhu is likely to get a 45-day remission. His scheduled release from jail was on May 16.

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has been in jail since May 20 last year after the Supreme Court convicted him in a 1988 road rage case, imposing a one-year jail term. (HT File)

cities

Updated on Mar 31, 2023 01:04 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

Nabha jailbreak impossible without assistance of prison officials: Court

The additional district and sessions judge, HS Grewal, made scathing remarks against the prisons department in his judgment and also listed some measures to improve its functioning

Indicting the Punjab prisons department in the Nabha jailbreak case, a Patiala court said it was not possible to escape without the involvement of officials. (HT file photo)

cities

Published on Mar 27, 2023 09:38 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

18 Nabha jailbreak convicts get 10-year imprisonment

Seven years after the sensational Nabha maximum security prison break, a Patiala district court on Thursday sentenced 22 accused to jail terms ranging from three to 20 years.

Of the 22 convicts, 18 will undergo 10-year jail term, two 20-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) and another two will spend five years and three years behind the bars (Representational Photo)

cities

Published on Mar 24, 2023 12:51 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Nabha prison break: Court convicts 22, acquits six

Seven years after the sensational Nabha Maximum Security prison break, a daring act of gangsters which rocked the nation, the district court has convicted 22 accused while acquitting six.

Eight, including two escapees, four executors and Hong Kong-based Romi are still at large. (Representational Photo (Shutterstock) )

cities

Published on Mar 21, 2023 10:51 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani

PM security breach: Punjab CM okays penalty for ex-DGP, two senior cops

Chief secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua had moved a file to chargesheet all erring officers, but the CMO only approved the chargesheet of three police officers. Former chief secretary Anirudh Tewari will be issued a show-cause notice

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy stranded on a flyover during his Punjab visit on January 5, 2022. On March 7, 2023, HT was the first to report the findings of the committee, led by retired Supreme Court justice Indu Malhotra, into the security lapses. (HT file photo)

cities

Published on Mar 21, 2023 12:10 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani

Himachal Pradesh water cess may raise power tariffs in neighbouring states

The Himachal Pradesh government’s move to impose a water cess on hydropower projects will raise power tariffs by at least ₹1 per unit, which may be contested by states such as Punjab that buy the power

The Himachal Pradesh government on March 14 initiated the formal legislative process to replace with a law the Himachal Pradesh Water Cess on Hydropower Generation Ordinance that was promulgated to impose a levy on hyd-el power generated in the state. (Representative image)

india news

Updated on Mar 17, 2023 04:03 AM IST

ByRajeev Jayaswal, Vishal Rambani & Gaurav Bisht

PM Modi’s Punjab visit: Officers to be charged over security breach

After drawing flak from the Centre over the delay in action on the breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security during his Punjab visit in January last year, the state’s chief secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua said on Monday that all the indicted officers will be charged.

The security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab happened during the tenure of the previous Congress government in the state. (ANI)

india news

Published on Mar 14, 2023 01:14 AM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

PM Modi security breach: Govt to chargesheet erring officers, says chief secy

Following flak from the Centre over the delay in action over the breach of security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Punjab visit in January last year, chief secretary Vijay Kumar Januja said that all indicted officers will be chargesheeted.

Irked by the delay, as per the persons in the know of things in the state government, said that the Centre was mulling options to act against the officers under the Special Protection Group (SPG) Act. (ANI file photo)

cities

Updated on Mar 13, 2023 10:35 PM IST

ByVishal Rambani, Patiala

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Vishal Rambani

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.

The ritual is usually conducted by the Patiala royal family scion, but as former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh was not in the city, Preneet took on the responsibility

The water level in the Gobind Sagar reservoir of the Bhakra Dam reached 1,615 feet, which is almost 48 feet higher than last year when it was 1567 feet on the corresponding day.

On Sunday, Gurwinder, 23, was arrested for killing his mother Paramjit Kaur, 45, with a sharp-edged weapon and cutting her body into two before setting it on fire at his home in Kangthala village of Patran in Patiala district late on Saturday evening, police said

Neighbours say the accused, Gurwinder Singh, who is his early 20s, committed the crime as his mother refused to give money for drugs. Patran station house officer Manpreet Singh said the accused and his two accomplices, who helped him in the murder, have been arrested.

With nearly ₹6,000 crore as additional power subsidy for ‘zero bills’, the total power subsidy bill of the state is nearing ₹20,000 crore, which includes arrears of past years

Indian diaspora will be hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, where he will deliver a speech underscoring Indo-US ties and the Indian government’s ground-breaking decisions

Likely to surpass 15,500 MW by June-end as final phase of 8-hour supply to farmers begins on June 21

Arrest farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was on an indefinite fast; work resumes at power corporation office after five days

Arrest farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was on an indefinite fast; work resumes at power corporation office after five days

Water resources principal secretary Krishan Kumar claims official VB caught red-handed not at fault as she was trapped in fabricated case that’s fallout of rivalry

The two northern states are fighting over control of operations of a 90-year-old hydroelectric power plant

With Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission revising fixed and variable tariff upward for all categories, the government’s subsidy burden has risen to ₹21,162 crore

ED’s regional office in Jalandhar has written to the vigilance bureau to provide details of the entire case. The VB has already presented a chargesheet in the case on April 19

Kicking off government’s initiative “Sarkar Tuhade Dwar” from Dhuri legislative constituency, chief minister Bhagwant Mann said this step will “further revolutionise the entire governance system” by ensuring delivery of citizen-centric services at doorsteps of people.

Court orders status quo after DC finds 8,200 square yards of government land, worth ₹200 crore, usurped by private parties on Bhupindra Road by securing an ex-parte decree

Police crack case within six hours of incident, say professional rivalry triggered crime as Darshan Singla of Sunam was bagging most government labour contracts and accused Pawan Bajaj was losing out

The Punjab government is yet to grant the mandatory sanction to prosecute former ministers and officials who are under the vigilance bureau (VB) scanner, officials familiar with the matter said. The VB is waiting to get nod to prosecute more than 100 persons.

The Punjab rural development and panchayats department has suspended the sarpanch and seven panches (members) of Nalas Khurd village in Patiala district for allegedly bungling ₹23 crore during the previous Congress regime

A day after being released from Patiala Central Jail, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu announced that he would visit slain singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s residence on Monday

Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday evening walked free after spending nearly 10 months in Patiala Central Jail in a 1988 road rage case and targeted the Centre and Punjab government, alleging that democracy is in chains and institutions have turned slaves in the country

Senior Congress leaders Laal Singh and Mohinder Singh Kaypee visited Navjot Singh Sidhu in Jail. The duo spent almost half an hour with Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Sidhu is likely to get a 45-day remission. His scheduled release from jail was on May 16.

The additional district and sessions judge, HS Grewal, made scathing remarks against the prisons department in his judgment and also listed some measures to improve its functioning

Seven years after the sensational Nabha maximum security prison break, a Patiala district court on Thursday sentenced 22 accused to jail terms ranging from three to 20 years.

Seven years after the sensational Nabha Maximum Security prison break, a daring act of gangsters which rocked the nation, the district court has convicted 22 accused while acquitting six.

Chief secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua had moved a file to chargesheet all erring officers, but the CMO only approved the chargesheet of three police officers. Former chief secretary Anirudh Tewari will be issued a show-cause notice

The Himachal Pradesh government’s move to impose a water cess on hydropower projects will raise power tariffs by at least ₹1 per unit, which may be contested by states such as Punjab that buy the power

After drawing flak from the Centre over the delay in action on the breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security during his Punjab visit in January last year, the state’s chief secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua said on Monday that all the indicted officers will be charged.

Following flak from the Centre over the delay in action over the breach of security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Punjab visit in January last year, chief secretary Vijay Kumar Januja said that all indicted officers will be chargesheeted.

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