A special correspondent, Prabhjit Singh is the bureau chief at Bathinda. He specialises in investigative stories, with rural reporting being his passion.
Articles by Prabhjit Singh
VB takes another U-turn in PCS officer bribery case
It's a tale of two U-turns. The Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) first arrested a Punjab Civil Service (PCS) officer for taking bribe and then filed a case closure report citing "no evidence". After the court rejected the report, the VB has now sought the state government's sanction to prosecute the accused.
Updated on Apr 18, 2013 11:08 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
No action against illegal miners; whistleblower fears another attack
Nearly seven months after both his legs and an arm were fractured in an attack following his daring act to expose an illegal mining cartel in his village, Jodhwal in Ludhiana district, former sarpanch Lakhveer Singh remains under constant threat. No security has been provided to him despite promises, nor has any action been taken against the racket he helped expose.
Updated on Apr 15, 2013 11:27 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Akali MLA's PA collected Gabria's 'missing' grants
The rural development department still awaits utilisation certificates for Rs 7 crore distributed as discretionary grant by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Hira Singh Gabria during his 2007-12 term as minister, but a closer examination of the disbursal clearly points towards embezzlement.
Updated on Mar 30, 2013 12:25 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Punjab's input to rice bowl at new low of 22%
If you thought agriculture is in decline in Punjab, it's only getting worse. In yet another marker of the situation, the state's contribution to the national rice stock has touched a new low of 22.1%.
Updated on Mar 22, 2013 12:09 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Dhindsa to present budget today
All eyes will be on Punjab's mounting fiscal deficit when finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa presents his budgetary proposals for 2013-14 on Wednesday.
Updated on Mar 20, 2013 12:34 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Punjab assembly ruckus: Congress in Catch-22
The opposition Congress is in a Catch-22 situation over participating further in the House discussion on the governor's address, as an apology to the speaker has been set as the pre-condition for the nine suspended MLAs to re-enter the Vidhan Sabha after Wednesday's pandemonium.
Updated on Mar 18, 2013 03:38 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
SAD-BJP MLAs play Dalit card to corner Congress
When the assembly speaker openly challenged in the House by the opposition and a cop manhandled by them both happen to be Dalits, MLAs of ruling parties can well turn this coincidence into a political opportunity to play the caste card and project the opposition as "anti-Dalit".
Updated on Mar 15, 2013 01:10 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Punjab VB arrests 4 in illegal recruitment case
The Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) on Wednesday arrested four persons, including three government employees, in connection with illegal recruitments in the state's rural development and panchayat department.
Updated on Mar 14, 2013 12:24 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Cross-border website writes script of amity
Three journalists beating their Indo-Pak borders have something in common to boast about. They have launched a website www.suhisaver.org in Punjabi distinctly in both ‘gurmukhi’ and ‘shahmukhi’ (Urdu) scripts. Inviting 500-1000 hits a day, the website carries perspective articles, as in any magazine, on politics, socio-economic issues, literature and culture.
Updated on Mar 07, 2013 10:30 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Bhattal for internal probe into Cong's Moga defeat
Former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal on Sunday dubbed the notices served by Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh to four party MLAs for allegedly not participating in the campaign for the Moga byelection as "childish".
Updated on Mar 04, 2013 11:02 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Sarna swept away in Badal landslide
After over a decade, the Shiromani Akali Dal-Delhi (SAD-D) led by Paramjit Singh Sarna lost its grip over the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), as the SAD-Badal won 37 of the 46 elected seats, according to results of the January 27 polls declared on Wednesday. Another setback for Amarinder
Updated on Jan 31, 2013 02:38 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
DSGMC polls: Sukhbir's might pitted against Sarna's legacy
Punjab's ruling party, the Shiromani Akali Dal-Badal (SAD-B), has invested heavily in the January 27 battle to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), with an eye firmly set on the Delhi assembly elections due in November.
Updated on Jan 26, 2013 12:47 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Eye on Delhi assembly polls, Cong, BJP out to woo Sikhs
With the Delhi assembly elections due in November, the ruling Congress and the main opposition BJP are banking on the January 27 Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections to woo the Sikh electorate. Amarinder can't save Sarna: Sukhbir
Updated on Jan 25, 2013 01:07 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, New Delhi
DSGMC polls: SAD ropes in Damdami Taksal
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has roped in Damdami Taksal, once headed by late militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, and other Sikh groups in an effort to wrest control of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC).
Updated on Jan 23, 2013 02:01 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Gurdwara panel polls: SAD ropes in BJP for canvassing
Over 50 MLAs of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) were in Delhi to make a bid to win the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections to be held on January 27. Prabhjit Singh reports.
Updated on Jan 21, 2013 01:06 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, New Delhi
With Badal away, Sukhbir, Majithia lead SAD charge
In the absence of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, younger leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Youth Akali Dal chief Bikram Singh Majithia took centrestage during the party's congregation at the Shaheedi Jor Mela here on Wednesday.
Updated on Dec 27, 2012 12:05 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Fatehgarh Sahib
The sect's white legacy
White is the colour of purity. And of the Namdharis too. For decades, the Namdharis' insistence on not wearing any other colour kept them out of the Indian hockey team despite being the national champions.
Updated on Dec 15, 2012 10:32 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
'Namdhari got arms licences using fake papers'
Prime accused in the Chhatarpur shootout case Sukhdev Singh Namdhari procured and renewed his arms licence on the basis of fake documents, a probe report by Punjab Police said on Monday.
Updated on Dec 11, 2012 01:37 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Decks cleared for FIR against Namdhari
In what could be an eye-opener on the police-babu-criminal nexus, the Punjab government on Monday released a probe report revealing how Sukhdev Singh Namdhari, accused in the murder of Ponty Chadha and his brother at a Delhi farmhouse, procured and got renewed his arms licences on the basis of fake documents.
Updated on Dec 11, 2012 12:11 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
When my dad became my best pal
It was one of those mood swings. I was feeling melancholic and desperately needed something to cheer me up. So I decided to drive uphill to Narkanda. But my protective dad would not let me go alone. If I am 42 years old, he is 73 years young! I wanted my space and preferred to go solo. But he turned down all my excuses. When I reasoned that the trip would be too taxing for him as I would be trekking a lot, he countered me, saying, "I am equally fit." Prabhjit Singh writes
Updated on Dec 10, 2012 11:07 AM IST
None | Prabhjit Singh
Cops sit on Rs 7cr scam in Doraha municipal council
In a classic case of how rules are bent to favour those in power, the Doraha municipal council (MC) authorities charged a mere Rs 4 per square yard as 'development fee' from a chosen set of people, while charging Rs 192.5 per square yard from others. Among the beneficiaries of the alleged scam - causing a loss of over Rs 7 crore in four fiscal years (2006-07 onwards) -- was the then officiating MC president, Surinderpal Sood.
Updated on Dec 10, 2012 06:21 PM IST
None | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Sad state of mourning
A minute's silence to mourn the death of IK Gujral, the son of the soil who went became prime minister, seemed enough to justify the 15-minute dance performance by Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Asin at the state-level gala opening of the world kabaddi tournament in Bathinda, the state's political capital virtually.
Updated on Dec 02, 2012 12:32 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
ETO suicide case: Police challan a hogwash
In what seems to be a half-hearted attempt by the Punjab Police, the challan filed by them in the ETO Ranjit Singh suicide case without recording the statements of key witnesses has left many key questions unanswered.
Updated on Dec 01, 2012 11:00 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
ETO suicide case: Arrest warrants against SP, 4 others
The SAS Nagar district court on Monday issued arrest warrants of all five accused in the infamous ETO suicide case registered against superintendent of police (SP) Amandeep Kaur and four others around three months ago.
Updated on Nov 27, 2012 12:46 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Despite SC order, Punjab still to curb acid attacks
For over a year now, the Punjab government is struggling to take a significant step that could check acid attacks. Such attacks using the highly corrosive substances have become far too common lately, and the Supreme Court had, in February last year, directed all the states to regulate the sale of acids.
Updated on Nov 24, 2012 02:48 PM IST
None | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Suppliers look to Pak for sand
Sand suppliers are looking towards Pakistan for importing the commodity - courtesy the Punjab government's failure to effectively enforce the ban on mining in the state and rein in skyrocketing sand prices.
Updated on Nov 23, 2012 12:51 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
Akalis, Congress both courted Ponty Chadha in Punjab
Ponty Chadha started his liquor trade in Punjab when the Akali-BJP regime was in power from 1997 to 2002, but his high point came when the Congress' Capt Amarinder Singh became the chief minister. Prabhjit Singh and Vishal Rambani report.
Updated on Nov 18, 2012 10:35 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh and Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh
Akalis, Cong both carried Ponty's Punjab palanquin
He may have started his liquor trade in Punjab in the 1997-2002 Akali-BJP regime, but Gurdeep Singh 'Ponty' Chadha's high point in the state came when Congress' Capt Amarinder Singh was the chief minister.
Updated on Nov 18, 2012 12:40 PM IST
None | Prabhjit Singh and Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh/patiala
Rubbishing 'revolt', Manpreet proposes alliance with Cong
Denying allegations of embezzlement of party funds levelled against him by his former associates, People's Party of Punjab (PPP) president Manpreet Badal on Thursday sought to change the political equation in the state as he proposed an alliance with the Congress "for a stronger opposition against the ruling SAD-BJP combine".
Updated on Nov 02, 2012 12:11 AM IST
None | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh
PPP ship sinking fast?
Things are going from bad to worse for the People's Party of Punjab (PPP), with party president Manpreet Badal running out of trusted associates. Former PPP patron Sardara Singh Johl has returned to the academic arena as the chancellor of the upcoming Central University in Bathinda, while senior leaders and former MLAs Bir Devinder Singh, Didar Singh Bhatti, Raghbir Singh and Harnek Singh Gharuan and former Rajya Sabha member Varinder Singh Bajwa have already quit the party. Prabhjit Singh reports
Updated on Oct 31, 2012 11:36 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prabhjit Singh, Chandigarh