New York: A US court has revoked the American citizenship of Gurmeet Singh, an India-born man who was convicted of rape and kidnapping, after authorities determined that he had concealed the crimes while going through the naturalisation process.
The US District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued the judgment on August 26, ordering Singh to surrender the citizenship that the government said he had obtained by withholding crucial information about his criminal conduct.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the case demonstrated that citizenship obtained through fraud does not provide protection from criminal accountability. The Justice Department has indicated that it will continue pursuing denaturalisation cases where evidence supports such action.
Singh Arrived in US in 1992
Singh, who was born in India, entered the United States in February 1992 as a visitor. Although his authorised stay was limited to six months, he remained in the country for several years without legal status.
His immigration position changed in June 2000, when he obtained permanent resident status following approval of a family-based immigrant visa petition.
More than a decade later, Singh applied for US citizenship.
Rape Case Came Shortly Before Citizenship Application
According to the Justice Department, Singh was working as a taxi driver in May 2011, when he picked up a female passenger who fell asleep during the journey.
Authorities said Singh drove her to an isolated location. When the woman woke up, she allegedly found him restraining her with a knife at her throat. Prosecutors said he subsequently tied and gagged her, blindfolded her and sexually assaulted her.
The woman eventually managed to escape from the taxi and sought help from a person on the street in the early morning.
The Justice Department said Singh did not disclose the incident during his subsequent naturalisation proceedings. He was granted US citizenship on October 19, 2011, several months after the alleged attack.
Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison
Singh was later prosecuted in New York and convicted of first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping as a sexually motivated felony.
A court sentenced him to 20 years in prison for the offences.
The Justice Department subsequently initiated denaturalisation proceedings, arguing that Singh had unlawfully secured citizenship by concealing conduct that was relevant to his eligibility.
Justice Department Says Citizenship Process Must Remain Protected
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said Singh had obtained the benefits associated with US citizenship by withholding information about serious crimes. US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said the court’s decision reinforces the consequences for individuals who use deception during the citizenship process.
The Justice Department filed its complaint seeking denaturalisation on February 2, leading to the federal court’s August 26 judgment.
The case was handled by Justice Department Civil Division trial attorney Christopher Lyerla and Assistant US Attorney Layaliza Soloveichik of the Eastern District of New York.
