Former US President Donald Trump indicted by grand jury

New Delhi: Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on Wednesday (local time) for his efforts to overturn the 2020 US Presidential polls which resulted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, The Hill reported.

The indictment comes after Trump stated that he received a target letter alerting him that he is the focus of the investigation, a move that is frequently followed by the filing of charges. Trump has been indicted as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the matter.

A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., has notably been hearing evidence in the case when it typically meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, reported The Hill.

According to the docket of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Trump’s case has been assigned to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan.

According to the court’s website, she was appointed in 2014.

As part of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation, Trump was charged with: Conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights, a CNN report said.

Trump will make his first court appearance in the case on Thursday in federal court in Washington, D.C, as per the Court filings.

Prior to the announcement of his indictment, Donald Trump had said that he is expected to be indicted “any time” today as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s probe of his behaviour following the 2020 election.

“I hear that Deranged Jack Smith, in order to interfere with the Presidential Election of 2024, will be putting out yet another Fake Indictment of your favorite President, me, at 5:00 P.M.”, Trump wrote on media platform Truth Social, according to The Hill.

“Why didn’t they do this 2.5 years ago? Why did they wait so long? Because they wanted to put it right in the middle of my campaign. Prosecutorial Misconduct!” Trump added.