Vishal Rambani
A principal 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
PSPCL, cops slug it out over power
Hindustan Times, Patiala | By Vishal Rambani
UPDATED ON AUG 28, 2020 12:25 AM IST
After electricity of a police station was disconnected over pending bills, the police department set up a check-point right outside the PSPCL headquarters on the Mall Road on Thursday. Over four dozen employees, including a chief engineer, were challaned
Rebel SAD leader Dhindsa set to float new party today
Hindustan Times, Patiala | By Vishal Rambani
UPDATED ON JUL 07, 2020 01:31 AM IST
IN THE MAKING: Says Punjabis need a platform to save the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and other institutions; outfit likely to be named ‘Shiromani Panthik Dal’
Punjab Ex-servicemen Corporation under scanner, CM orders probe into allegations of irregularities
Hindustan Times/Patiala | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
UPDATED ON JUN 25, 2020 04:38 PM IST
Objections raised over contractual employees above the age of 60 being allowed to continue service when as per rules the age of retirement is 58; it has been flagged that the financial controller of the organisation is not a qualified chartered accountant
PSPCL in trouble as govt holds back subsidies for free power to farm sector
Hindustan Times/Patiala | By Vishal Rambani
UPDATED ON JUN 22, 2020 07:08 PM IST
Till June 15, out of the ₹3,923 crore subsidy it had to pay, the Punjab government gave ₹1,840 crore in cash to PSPCL
IAS officers’ ACR taken out of mayors’ purview in Punjab civic bodies
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON JUN 19, 2020 10:42 PM IST
An ACR is a confidential report, accessing the performance, character, conduct and qualities of the member of service, and helps in their career advancement
Illicit liquor trade probe: ED officer meets police, VB, excise officials
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON JUN 17, 2020 12:55 AM IST
The ED is conducting the probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and looking into at least 11 FIRs registered in various police stations in Patiala, Khanna and Ludhiana
Punjab govt juggles improvement trust funds, Oppn cries foul
Hindustan Times, Patiala | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
UPDATED ON JUN 14, 2020 11:30 PM IST
BAIL OUT: Local bodies dept okays plan to shift Rs 15 crore from Amritsar Improvement Trust to its Patiala counterpart
Man running shell firms made ₹70 cr via forged GST bills, held
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani
PUBLISHED ON JUN 13, 2020 12:40 AM IST
MANDI GOBINDGARH SHOCKER: The 52-year-old kingpin’s two accomplices, in whose names he got registered several bogus companies, also arrested
Illicit liquor trade in Punjab under ED lens
Hindustan Times/Patiala | By Vishal Rambani & Gagandeep Jassowal, Patiala/jalandhar
UPDATED ON JUN 12, 2020 12:12 PM IST
The ED wing at Jalandhar has shot off letters to Punjab Police seeking records, including FIRs, investigation findings, bank details related to illicit liquor trade cases, it is learnt.
Boparai leading race for PSPCL posts, CM may take decision today
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON JUN 10, 2020 11:23 PM IST
A panel of chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh, principal secretary (power) Anirudh Tiwari, and power finance corporation chairman RS Dhillon selected four names from among 72 engineers who had applied for the said posts.
Tender ‘tweak’ muddies the water for Buddha Nullah revival plan
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON JUN 08, 2020 01:36 AM IST
Tender favours a particular firm, says CEO of Punjab municipal infra devp company, additional chief secy (local bodies) says proposal drafted before he joined dept
PSPCL CMD retires, A Venu Prasad assumes charge
Hindustan Times, Patiala | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
UPDATED ON JUN 05, 2020 08:32 PM IST
The new CMD, Prasad, had served in this post for more than a year before the selection of Sran.
At ₹16,400 cr, power subsidy bill stands at 10% of Punjab budget
By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON JUN 02, 2020 09:24 PM IST
CBI arrests fraudster declared ‘dead’ 30 years ago in Patiala
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON MAY 31, 2020 02:03 AM IST
The US citien had been declared ‘dead’ in India about 30 years back, in a Rs 2.5 lakh bank fraud he committed in Chandigarh in 1985
116 in the fray for 4 posts of PSPCL, PSTCL directors
Hindustan Times, Patiala | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
UPDATED ON MAY 28, 2020 11:50 PM IST
The selection process has been initiated by the state government and is likely to be completed in the next few days, it is learnt
Bright spark for PSPCL as Centre removes ‘washed coal’ condition
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON MAY 28, 2020 01:19 AM IST
With this, the PSPCL will save at least ₹400 crore per annum
In a relief, cash-strapped PSPCL to buy cheap power from grid in peak season
By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
UPDATED ON MAY 24, 2020 11:02 PM IST
It’ll purchase electricity from the grid at rates as economic as Rs 3 per unit. The price is even lesser than the cost of power generated by the state-owned and private thermal plants in Punjab.
Punjab asks teachers to check smuggling of Teacher’s, withdraws orders hours later
Hindustan Times/Patiala | By Vishal Rambani and Harmandeep Singh, Patiala
UPDATED ON MAY 21, 2020 04:53 PM IST
HIGH AND DRY Gurdaspur district administration deputes 24 teachers at four distilleries to keep a tab on liquor supply only to revoke its decision amid outrage
4,000 litre raw liquor seized from Akali leader’s tubewell storehouse in Patiala
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON MAY 19, 2020 11:47 PM IST
Former block samiti member arrested, joint investigation by police, excise department
Cache of illegal liquor seized from SAD leader’s tubewell in Patiala
Hindustan Times/Patiala | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
UPDATED ON MAY 19, 2020 01:05 PM IST
The tubewell is owned by former SAD panchayat samiti member Darshan Singh of Pabri village.
Fascination for guns set to backfire on Moose Wala
Hindustan Times, Patiala | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
UPDATED ON MAY 19, 2020 01:45 AM IST
Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, 26, who has been grabbing eyeballs ever since he shot into limelight, finds himself on the wrong side of the law
Illegal liquor distillery busted in Patiala, Congress sarpanch, MLA’s aide booked
Hindustan Times/Patiala | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
UPDATED ON MAY 14, 2020 04:41 PM IST
The accused were bottling liquor in Royal Stag, Masti Malta, Lajawab Sofia and Raseela Santra bottles, which are sought after liquor brands in the region.
Punjab’s excise revenue growth from liquor has dipped under Cong
Hindustan Times, Punjab | By Vishal Rambani
UPDATED ON MAY 10, 2020 11:51 PM IST
The state registered negative growth in excise revenue for fiscal 2018-19, collecting Rs 5,072 crore, against Rs 5,135 crore in 2017-18. For the fiscal-ended March 31, there has been a slight increase (2.5%) in revenue over the past year at Rs 5,200 crore
Appointment of OSD to ex-Akali minister as commission member sparks row
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON MAY 05, 2020 11:55 PM IST
CM’s wife and Patiala MP Preneet Kaur, two Congress MLAs raise objection over the move, say will take up the issue with Capt
11 ayurvedic college teachers in Patiala appointed without finance dept nod
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani
UPDATED ON MAY 04, 2020 10:57 PM IST
Patiala Government Ayurvedic College made these hurried appointments just within a week in March 2019; now, all appointees have been without salary for a year
PUDA law officer’s appointment as OSD to local bodies minister sparks row
Hindustan Times, Patiala | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON MAY 01, 2020 11:39 PM IST
PUDA has refused to pay salary for eight months; now, the local bodies department decides to give him a post, on deputation, in the sewerage board under it, without calling applications and without finance dept permission
Open industry, agriculture in first go, freeze DA: Punjab panel on lockdown exit
Hindustan Times, Patiala | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
UPDATED ON APR 28, 2020 01:01 AM IST
Expert group headed by former state chief secretary KR Lakhanpal calls for graded move to normal activities; says schools must open last, but calls for immediate opening of liquor shops
PSPCL battles 40% dip in demand, 54% fall in revenue
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Vishal Rambani
UPDATED ON APR 26, 2020 10:33 PM IST
Payments did not come through due to the curfew, with only few consumers paying online
Markfed rakes in sales, meets yearly targets for some products
Hindustan Times, Patiala | By Vishal Rambani, Patiala
PUBLISHED ON APR 18, 2020 10:12 PM IST
Cooperative moved fast to ensure minimum disruption to production during lockdown; for supply to rural areas, it used its village cooperatives network and for urban segment, it delivered door-to-door through delivery apps
Procurement gets off to a slow start in Punjab
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By Gurpreet Singh Nibber/Vishal Rambani/Anil Sharma, Chandigarh
PUBLISHED ON APR 15, 2020 11:10 PM IST
WHEAT ARRIVAL ON DAY 1 Agencies purchase 3,645.5 tonne produce out of 8,213.5 tonnes brought to 252 mandis, most in state’s south-west