Gurmeet Singh, an India-born individual who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for kidnapping and raping a passenger in 2011, has had his U.S. citizenship revoked, the Justice Department announced Monday. Singh, 55, was convicted in 2014 for the sexual assault of a woman who fell asleep in his taxi in May 2011. Weeks prior to this incident, he had filed his naturalization application.
During the assault, Singh reportedly held a knife to the victim's throat and threatened her. He then bound, gagged, and blindfolded her before raping her. The victim managed to flee his taxi and seek help from passersby.
The Justice Department stated that Singh concealed these criminal acts throughout his naturalization proceedings, ultimately becoming a U.S. citizen on October 19, 2011. Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate remarked that Singh unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship by hiding his criminal actions and affirmed the department's commitment to protecting the integrity of the citizenship process.
Singh initially entered the U.S. in February 1992 as a temporary visitor on a six-month visa. He remained in the country without authorization for several years before becoming a lawful permanent resident in June 2000 through a family-sponsored visa petition.
He is currently incarcerated at Shawangunk Correctional Facility in Ulster County. A federal judge in Brooklyn has ordered Singh to surrender his citizenship documents, including his naturalization certificate and U.S. passport, by September 16.