A special correspondent, Vishal Rambani is the bureau chief at Patiala. He covers politics, crime, power sector, environment and socio-economic issues, with several investigative stories to his credit.
Articles by Vishal 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
Updated on May 15, 2023 05:20 PM IST
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
Updated on May 15, 2023 12:50 AM IST
Vishal 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.
Updated on May 11, 2023 11:09 PM IST
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
Updated on May 08, 2023 05:16 PM IST
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
Updated on May 05, 2023 04:07 PM IST
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.
Updated on May 02, 2023 01:04 AM IST
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.
Updated on Apr 05, 2023 01:21 AM IST
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
Updated on Apr 04, 2023 12:53 AM IST
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
Updated on Apr 03, 2023 12:06 AM IST
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
Updated on Apr 02, 2023 01:22 AM IST
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.
Updated on Apr 01, 2023 07:15 AM IST
Vishal 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.
Updated on Mar 31, 2023 01:04 AM IST
Vishal 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
Published on Mar 27, 2023 09:38 AM IST
Vishal 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.
Published on Mar 24, 2023 12:51 AM IST
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.
Published on Mar 21, 2023 10:51 PM IST
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
Published on Mar 21, 2023 12:10 PM IST
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
Updated on Mar 17, 2023 04:03 AM IST
Rajeev 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.
Published on Mar 14, 2023 01:14 AM IST
Vishal 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.
Updated on Mar 13, 2023 10:35 PM IST
Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PM security breach: Centre seeks action-taken report from Punjab
A report of the Supreme Court-appointed inquiry committee looking into the breach in security during Modi’s Punjab visit on January 5, 2022, which was submitted six months ago, indicted then state chief secretary Anirudh Tewari, police chief S Chattopadhyaya, and other top officers for lapses.
Updated on Mar 12, 2023 04:19 AM IST
Punjab vigilance bureau issues lookout notice against ex-CM Channi in DA probe
On March 7, chief minister Bhagwant Mann had said in the assembly that Channi was under scanner in the DA case.
Updated on Mar 11, 2023 04:20 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PM security breach: 6 months on, no action against former Punjab chief secretary, ex-DGP
Supreme Court-appointed inquiry committee cites ‘colossal failure in planning and coordination’; report sent by Centre to AAP govt in September, but CM Bhagwant Mann is yet to act
Published on Mar 07, 2023 12:46 PM IST
NHM grants only for health and wellness centres: Union minister
In an apparent reference to Punjab government’s flagship Aam Aadmi Clinics, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday said the state government will get grant for health and wellness centres under the National Health Mission and not for any other scheme.
Published on Mar 05, 2023 10:54 PM IST
Punjab’s power subsidy set to touch whopping ₹20k-cr next fiscal
The power subsidy payable by Punjab Government to power corporation may cross a whopping ₹20,000 crore as per the revised estimates of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and the government’s commitment to clear previous arrears of subsidy in five equal instalments of ₹1,804 crore.
Published on Mar 01, 2023 01:17 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Punjab’s power demand shoots up by 25% with rising temperatures
Even as farmers fear crop loss due to above-normal temperature this season, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited officials are also worried as the power demand has shot up by 25% this February as compared to corresponding period last year.
Published on Feb 26, 2023 10:45 PM IST
Gangster Teja Mehandpuria, 2 aides killed in an encounter in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib
Two cops, sub-inspector Gurpreet Singh and constable Sukhraj received injuries during the encounter and are presently undergoing treatment
Published on Feb 23, 2023 12:59 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Fatehgarh Sahib
Punjab VB summons former Congress minister Brahm Mohindra in DA case
Brahm Mohindra is sixth former minister being probed for disproportionate assets; the VB arrested Sadhu Singh Dharamsot in a similar case, while former ministers Sham Sunder Arora, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Gurpreet Kangar, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and at least five other Congress leaders are under VB scrutiny for corruption
Updated on Feb 21, 2023 11:43 AM IST
Assets case: Congress leader Dharamsot amassed huge properties in Mohali, Amloh, reveals Punjab vigilance probe
Former forest minister and Congress leader Sadhu Singh Dharamsot amassed undisclosed properties in Mohali and Amloh worth crores, reveals the Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) probe.
Updated on Feb 09, 2023 09:38 PM IST
Punjab vigilance arrests former minister Dharamsot in assets case
Punjab vigilance bureau on Monday arrested former minister and Congress leader Sadhu Singh Dharamsot for amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income
Published on Feb 07, 2023 01:14 AM IST
Vishal Rambani, Patiala
Preneet Kaur takes on Tariq Anwar over show-cause notice
A defiant Patiala Congress MP and former minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur on Monday hit back at the party’s disciplinary action committee member secretary Tariq Anwar for issuing her a show-cause notice for anti-party activities and dared the party “to take whatever action it wants to”.
Published on Feb 07, 2023 12:01 AM IST
