Who is Gurmeet Singh? Indian-origin taxi driver convicted of rape loses US citizenship

The United States on Monday revoked the citizenship of India-born taxi driver Gurmeet Singh, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman at knifepoint in 2011, according to a release issued by the US Department of Justice.

The US District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued an order cancelling the naturalisation of Singh, who was convicted of rape.

Denaturalisation, or the revocation of citizenship, can only take place after a federal court issues an order. The process is complex and is generally pursued when an individual is found to have misled authorities to obtain citizenship or has been convicted of serious crimes.

Who is Gurmeet Singh?

Gurmeet Singh entered the United States in February 1992 on a temporary visa for a stay of no more than six months. However, he remained in the country without authorisation for several years before obtaining permanent residency in June 2000 through a family-based immigrant visa petition.

In May 2011, only weeks before filing his US citizenship application, Singh was working as a taxi driver when he picked up a female passenger who had fallen asleep while travelling home. He drove her to an isolated location where there were no witnesses.

According to the release, when the woman awoke, she found Singh on top of her with a knife pressed against her throat. He threatened her, tied her up, gagged and blindfolded her, removed her clothing and sexually assaulted her.

The survivor later managed to escape from the taxi and, at dawn, approached a person on the street for help.

Singh concealed the crimes during the naturalisation process and was granted US citizenship on October 19, 2011, the release said.

After obtaining US citizenship, Singh was convicted in New York of first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping as a sexually motivated felony. He was subsequently sentenced to 20 years in prison.

‘American citizenship not a shield for criminals’: US Attorney General

US Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement that Singh, who was born in India, had been convicted of rape and no longer holds US citizenship.

“American citizenship is not a shield for criminals…He concealed a rape and kidnapping during the naturalization process, and a federal court has now revoked his citizenship,” he said.