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
Bittu flays Badal, Sukhbir over memorial issue
Congress' Anandpur Sahib MP Ravneet Singh Bittu today flayed Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Badal over the Operation Bluestar memorial and honouring of Balwant Singh Rajoana with 'living martyr' title by the Akal Takht.
Updated on Jun 08, 2012 09:48 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Anandpur Sahib
Nabha murder case reveals more murky deals
Almost two years after the brutal murders of four family members in Nabha, the dirty deals between the investigation officer and the accused are unfolding layer by layer.
Updated on Jun 07, 2012 10:59 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Delay trips BBMB renovation plans
Delay in modernisation plans of Bhakra Beas Management Board, which aimed at increasing power generation of left bank units, is going to make matters worse on the power front in the near future. Combined with delayed monsoon and power crunch faced by generation companies does not augur well for the common man.
Updated on Jun 05, 2012 12:25 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Ex-DSP booked for shoddy investigation in Nabha murders case
In an exemplary action, the police have booked retired deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Harbhajan Singh, the investigating officer in the Nabha family murder case, for conducting a shoddy investigation which led to the acquittal of the accused.
Updated on May 26, 2012 10:53 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Power bodies struggle to fill technical posts
For a state that has about 150 engineering colleges with nearly 40,000 seats, Punjab's two power corporations are finding it hard to recruit 700-odd engineers due to lack of quality candidates.
Updated on May 18, 2012 01:42 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Former VB SSP, others indicted for frame-up
Giving the clean chit to a patwari accused of corruption, an inquiry conducted by Kahan Singh Pannu, special principal secretary to the Punjab chief minister, has indicted six serving and former officers of the state Vigilance Bureau for abuse of power, and recommended the registration of an FIR against them.
Updated on May 15, 2012 11:39 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani and Navrajdeep Singh, Patiala
Patiala land scam: Badal orders suspension of IAS officer, 5 others
Punjab government today ordered the suspension of IAS officer Vikas Garg, the then deputy commissioner of Patiala, in the land scam, highlighted by HT in an exclusive report on April 20. The government also ordered a vigilance probe apart from departmental action against the accused officers.
Updated on May 08, 2012 09:30 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh/patiala
As CM sits on file, central bureau to begin probe
Even as chief minister Parkash Singh Badal is yet to clear the file for a vigilance probe into the alleged illegal sale of government land as private property in Patiala, the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) has started an investigation into the scam
Updated on May 07, 2012 01:56 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Ground reality presents a rather grim picture
A national-level study has pointed out that Punjab draws the maximum groundwater in the country for irrigation in terms of geographical area. The state occupies 1.54% of the country's total area.
Updated on May 05, 2012 01:07 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Bluestar: SGPC okays memorial to 'martyrs'
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided to build a memorial to those who were killed in Operation Bluestar in 1984. Militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale's name tops the list of "martyrs" who had lost their lives in the military operation.
Updated on May 04, 2012 01:46 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
5-member SIT formed in Nabha murders case
Listing major chinks in investigations carried out in Nabha family murder case, deputy inspector general of police LK Yadav has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case afresh and collect evidence against the prime suspect, Amritbir Singh, who was acquitted by a Patiala court on April 28.
Updated on May 02, 2012 11:51 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Cops bungle as accused walks free
In a setback to the Punjab Police that raises serious questions over the force's investigating skills, a Patiala court has acquitted a 26-year-old man accused of killing four members of his family in the district's Nabha town in August 2010.
Updated on May 02, 2012 11:51 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani and Navrajdeep Singh, Patiala
Patiala land scam: Inquiry officer stands by report
Divisional commissioner SR Ladhar, whose inquiry report indicted former Patiala deputy commissioner Vikas Garg and other officials in the Rs 250-crore land scam, has reiterated that the land in question was government property.
Updated on Apr 26, 2012 01:02 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
'PCS Mains results in a day or two'
After much delay, the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) is expected to declare the results of the Punjab Combined Civil Services Examination (PCS Mains) in a day or two.
Updated on Apr 26, 2012 10:47 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Patiala land scam: Garg slams probe report, claims property private
Former Patiala deputy commissioner Vikas Garg, indicted in the Rs 250-crore land scam, has termed divisional commissioner SR Ladhar's inquiry report 'incorrect'. He claimed that the revenue staff executed the sale deed as the land was private property.
Updated on Apr 24, 2012 01:14 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Patiala royal challenge to 'illegal' land sale
A member of the erstwhile Patiala royal family has claimed that a prime plot of land, whose sale was allegedly illegal, belongs to him, and refuted government claims that it is the real owner of the land.
Updated on Apr 23, 2012 12:32 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Sale deed executed on old papers that carried objection
The sale of government land by marking it as private property, which has led to Vikas Garg's ouster as Patiala deputy commissioner and indictment of then divisional commissioner GS Grewal and other revenue officials, was carried out on the basis of documents that were not only technically invalid but also clearly carried the remark that the land belonged to the government, it is learnt.
Updated on Apr 22, 2012 01:21 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Garg loses DC's chair
The Punjab government has transferred Vikas Garg from the post of Patiala deputy commissioner after the HT report, 'Officials in the dock over land sale' (April 20), highlighted the indictment of Garg and five others in connection with the illegal sale of government property worth Rs 250 crore.
Updated on Apr 21, 2012 12:00 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Officials in dock for land sale in Patiala
Patiala deputy commissioner Vikas Garg, former divisional commissioner GS Grewal and four others are in the dock for illegally executing the sale deed of a government property with an estimated market value of Rs 250 crore
Updated on Apr 20, 2012 12:24 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Mining mafia earns Rs 100 cr, Punjab govt mere Rs 3 cr
Illegal and ecologically-hazardous mining of minor minerals such as sand and gravel is taking place near the Ravi's banks in this border district - right under the administration's nose.
Updated on Apr 16, 2012 11:25 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Jasdeep Singh Malhotra and Vishal Rambani, Keeri (pathankot)
Happy Bibi in jail, but not satisfied: Kamaljeet
Reacting to the judgment, Kamajeet Singh, the complainant in the case was happy that finally Bibi Jagir Kaur was behind bars. "However, I am not satisfied with judgment. She must be held guilty under charges of murder of Harpreet and I would approach higher court for that", Kamaljeet told HT.
Updated on Mar 31, 2012 02:31 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Jagir Kaur gets 5-yr jail in Harpreet case, quits
A special CBI court in Patiala today convicted Punjab cabinet minister Bibi Jagir Kaur in the murder case of her daughter Harpreet Kaur, who died under mysterious circumstances in 2000.
Updated on Mar 31, 2012 09:35 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Clamour grows for Capt's ouster
Under fire due to poor performance of the party in the recently concluded assembly elections, Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh seems headed for more trouble as some party workers have announced to launch a campaign for his removal from the post.
Updated on Mar 15, 2012 11:00 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Rajoana refuses to meet Sikh leaders
Balwant Singh Rajoana, who is on death row in the former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh's assassination case, refused to meet leaders of the Sant Samaj and others who visited the Central Jail in Patiala today.
Updated on Mar 14, 2012 11:15 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Beant Singh case convict to be hanged on March 31
Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh’s assassination case who had requested a court to fix the date for his execution, will be hanged in Patiala central jail at 9am on March 31.
Updated on Mar 14, 2012 08:33 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani and Amrita Sethi, Patiala
Patiala pegged back
Shock in New Moti Mehal after Congress, 'prince' return paupers from war; royal family left to defend stake in Punjab politics
Updated on Mar 06, 2012 08:05 PM IST
None | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Moderate earthquake of 4.9 magnitude felt in Punjab, NCR region this afternoon
Moderate earthquake of 4.9 magnitude felt in Punjab, NCR region this afternoon
Updated on Mar 05, 2012 02:02 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
6 steel industry units found 'flouting' pollution norms in Gobindgarh
A raid by Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) teams in Mandi Gobindgarh town today revealed that nine steel industry units were flouting pollution norms.
Updated on Mar 04, 2012 08:50 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala
18 children fall ill in Rajpura; 6 in serious condition
Eighteen children in the age group of two to ten, fell ill after consuming poisonous fruits, including six who were said to be in serious condition. They were initially admitted to government hospital in Rajpura, but were later referred to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala for intensive care.
Updated on Mar 04, 2012 08:55 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Rajpura
Justice Kant inaugurates the ADR centre
Punjab and haryana court judge Surya Kant today inaugurated the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) centre at judicial complex in Patiala.
Updated on Mar 03, 2012 05:28 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Vishal Rambani, Patiala