Washington:
An Indian-origin man, who had been a US citizen, has been stripped of his citizenship after he was convicted of rape. Gurmeet Singh (55), a taxi driver, reportedly kidnapped and raped a feminine passenger at knifepoint in New York in 2011. He was sentenced to twenty years in jail after being convicted of the violent assault in 2014, in response to the US Justice Division.
In a statement, the US company mentioned Singh had hid his prison previous whereas making use of for US citizenship, which he obtained months after the assault.
Legal professional Basic Todd Blanche mentioned Singh, a convicted rapist from India, is now not a US citizen.
“Gurmeet Singh, a convicted rapist from India, is now not a US citizen. He hid a rape and kidnapping through the naturalisation course of, and a federal court docket has now revoked his citizenship,” Blanche mentioned.
“This division took this case throughout the end line, and we’ll proceed to maneuver expeditiously on denaturalisation referrals. Fraudulently obtained citizenship won’t defend criminals from justice.’ he added.
Case Towards Singh
A local of India, Singh entered america in February 1992 as a customer for a short lived interval to not exceed six months. He then remained within the US with out authorisation for years till a family-based immigrant visa petition allowed him to grow to be a everlasting resident in June 2000, the Justice Division mentioned.
In Might 2011, simply weeks earlier than he filed his utility to naturalise as a US citizen, Singh, a taxicab driver on the time, drove a feminine passenger who fell asleep throughout her journey residence.
When the passenger awoke, she discovered Singh on high of her with a knife towards her throat. He threatened her, sure and gagged her, blindfolded her, eliminated her garments, and raped her. Afterwards, the sufferer escaped from the cab and ran to somebody within the streets at daybreak for assist, the US company mentioned.
Singh reportedly hid these acts all through his naturalisation proceedings, resulting in his changing into a US citizen in October 2011. After naturalising, Singh was convicted in New York of rape within the first diploma and kidnapping within the second diploma as a sexually motivated felony and sentenced to twenty years in jail.
‘A Message’
On August 26, the US District Court docket for the Japanese District of New York entered judgment revoking the naturalisation of Singh, the Justice Division mentioned.
Assistant Legal professional Basic Brett Shumate of the Justice Division’s Civil Division mentioned Singh unlawfully obtained the privileges of US citizenship by concealing horrible prison acts.
“The court docket’s judgment, which requires the defendant to give up his wrongfully obtained citizenship, sends a robust message to those that get hold of citizenship by deceit, and demonstrates the administration’s resolve to pursue denaturalisation proceedings in all instances permitted by legislation and supported by the proof,” mentioned US Legal professional Joseph Nocella Jr for the Japanese District of New York.
