Ahmedabad: An Amdavadi has landed squarely in the soup across the pond after allegedly faking US citizenship just to cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential election. The election was won by Donald Trump.A federal grand jury in Minnesota has indicted Indian national Mukesh Chaudhari on two counts. He faces one count of providing false information to the voting machinery and another for masquerading as a US citizen just to cast a ballot. Each charge carries a maximum five-year stint in prison if he is convicted.Under Minnesota law, anyone signing that registry must solemnly affirm they hold a US passport. Prosecutors say Chaudhari knowingly lied on the voter eligibility certificate on Nov. 5, 2024, by swearing that he was a bona fide American citizen to take part in the voting process.Justice Department officials, however, are keeping their cards close to their chest and refusing to confirm whether Chaudhari actually cast a vote before federal sleuths swooped in.They also remain tight-lipped on whether Chaudhari was a lawful permanent resident or in the US without legal status.Homeland Security and local sheriffs are trying to figure out how Chaudhari thought he could pull off the lie.The case comes at a time when the Trump administration is aggressively turning up the heat on border and ballot security. It has intensified scrutiny of election integrity and voting by non-citizens. While federal cases involving non-citizens voting in elections are relatively uncommon, the issue has emerged as a major political flashpoint in the US.
