Washington, April 25 : The US Justice Department has filed a civil complaint to revoke the citizenship of a Pakistan-born man convicted of sexually grooming and abusing a minor, alleging he obtained naturalisation by concealing his crimes and giving false testimony.

The case targets Hassan Sherjil Khan, who was granted US citizenship in May 2013 despite what prosecutors describe as years of criminal conduct involving a child. The government argues his citizenship was â??illegally procuredâ?? and must be revoked under federal law.

Court filings show Khan met the victim online in 2007 when she was 11. Over several years, he used internet chats and video calls to coerce her into sending sexually explicit images and engaging in sexual activity.

In April 2012, prosecutors say, Khan travelled from the United States to England, where the victim lived, and engaged in sexual acts with her when she was 15 and he was 24.

During his later plea hearing, Khan admitted his actions. â??I knew that my conduct was not only illegal but morally wrong, and Iâ??m deeply regretful of that conduct, your Honor,â?? he told the court.

The Justice Department said Khan continued to exploit the victim online until at least 2013 and contacted her repeatedly even after she asked him to stop.

Despite this conduct, Khan applied for naturalisation in August 2012. In his application and subsequent interview, he stated he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested, a claim prosecutors now say was false.

â??Naturalization and US citizenship will not protect sexual predators from the consequences of their horrific acts,â?? said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate. â??If you fail to disclose serious crimes while seeking naturalization, the government will discover your lies and revoke your ill-gotten US citizenship.â??

The complaint argues Khan lacked the â??good moral characterâ?? required for citizenship because he had committed crimes involving moral turpitude and later lied under oath during the naturalisation process.

Prosecutors further allege he secured citizenship through â??willful misrepresentationâ?? and concealment of material facts, which would have disqualified him had they been disclosed.

Khan was arrested in 2015 after the victim reported the abuse. In January 2016, he pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison and remains incarcerated, with a projected release date of July 2029.

At the time of his arrest, he was working as a physician, according to the Justice Department.

The government has asked the court to cancel Khanâ??s naturalisation certificate, revoke his citizenship, and bar him from claiming any rights associated with US nationality. The allegations in the civil complaint have not yet been adjudicated.

Denaturalisation cases in the United States are rare and typically pursued in instances of fraud, war crimes, or serious criminal conduct concealed during the immigration process. Under federal law, courts are required to revoke citizenship if it is found to have been illegally obtained or secured through misrepresentation. /IANS