Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Finally, a sigh of relief for Sadhana Gollapudi!
Days after the Houston-based Indian-origin technocrat found herself at the centre of a controversy, shaped by widespread social media misinformation over an alleged visa fraud, the office of the US Attorney General for the Southern District of Texas confirmed that Gollapudi is a naturalised US citizen and was not involved in any fraudulent visa activities.
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The nightmare for the techie, also a Kuchipudi dancer, began a few days ago when an X user identified as Cyber Green 09 alleged that the dancer had been living in the US since 2014 on an F-1 visa. He further accused the dancer of violating the visa norms by working while being enrolled in multiple academic courses.
As a sign of proof, the X account used some of her dance videos that were filmed outside her residence.
The F-1 visa in the United States allows international students to pursue full-time academic programmes at SEVP-approved institutions. F-1 visa holders are generally not permitted to work unless the employment falls under authorised programmes such as curricular practical training.
Meanwhile, the post spread like wildfire on X, with thousands of users reposting it without verifying it. It soon drew the attention of the Attorney for Houston, Aaron Reitz, who clarified that she is a naturalised US citizen and was not embroiled in any wrongdoing.
“Thanks for flagging. My office looked. She’s a naturalized US citizen, not here on student visa,” he wrote.
“As US Atty over Houston, I take visa fraud seriously. We prosecute it to the fullest. Neither illegal aliens nor those who obtain legal status illegally are welcome on American soil,” he further added.
Meanwhile, the Indian American Advocacy Council slammed the X user and also criticised the US administration over the entire episode.
“An American woman was filmed, named and falsely branded a “visa fraudster” before millions. The office of @USAttyReitz, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, confirmed the allegation was false: she is a naturalized American citizen. Yet rather than condemn the person who publicly smeared her, Reitz used her exoneration to rant about “illegal aliens” and who is “welcome on American soil.” She is not a guest. She is not a suspect. She is an American,” it wrote on X.
As the claims were found to be baseless, the Cyber Green account faced a major backlash on X. The account, which appears to be a fan page dedicated to Pakistani actor Hamza Sohail, was soon made private.
INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT: SADHANA REACTS TO THE EPISODE
As the allegations took a toll on her, the biomedical engineer put up a post on his Instagram account.
“The past few days have been incredibly difficult and upsetting for me and my loved ones. My content has been reposted without my permission on another social media platform (X, formerly Twitter) by an account that is spreading false and misleading claims about me,” she wrote on August 6.
“If you come across these posts or any similar posts, I kindly ask you to report them for misinformation and unauthorized use,” she further added.
The techie is presently living in Houston and has been pursuing her PhD in biomedical engineering.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
