Crash. Claim. Controversy (4)

UP STF Arrests Ghaziabad Man for Running Fake Westarctica Embassy from Bungalow, Operating Hawala and Job Fraud Racket

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested a fake ambassador of the ‘Kingdom of Westarctica.’ As per reports, the accused named Harshvardhan Jain was operating his syndicate from a rented bungalow in the posh Kavi Nagar area of Ghaziabad.

The accused had successfully maintained the illusion of a functioning embassy for almost seven years, complete with luxury cars featuring fake diplomatic number plates, foreign flags. They morphed pictures featuring India’s highest leaders.

Fake Diplomat, Real Fraud

Jain claimed to be the ‘ambassador’ of four non-existent micronations, Westarctica, Seborga, Poulvia, and Ladonia. These micronations exist only on paper and have no recognition by India or the United Nations. 

Jain allegedly used his false diplomatic cover to operate a hawala racket and cheat individuals and companies by offering jobs and foreign work opportunities, the STF said.

What Cops Found

The STF raid revealed the cache of fake articles from Jain’s offices:

Rs. 44.7 lakh in cash.

Foreign exchange worth Rs. 30 lakh.

Four luxury cars, including an Audi and a Mercedes with bogus diplomatic plates.

12 bogus diplomatic passports.

34 fake seals of different countries and organisations.

Bogus Ministry of External Affairs papers.

Two fake certifications of permanent account number cards, fake press cards, top-range watches, and company files.

Police think they were used to support his legitimacy claims and impress his targets.

How Racket Worked

Jain had promised fat foreign jobs through his illegitimate embassy ventures. He had made victims believe that he enjoyed diplomatic influence with unrecognized micronations and had used the perception of authority to swindle businessmen and launder black money through shell companies.

The scambuster is also said to have flaunted photo-shopped images of himself with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former President APJ Abdul Kalam. He worked out of a rented bungalow at Rs. 1.8 lakh per month and had earlier conducted the racket from his parental residence at the same locality.

Familiar Face for Probe Agencies

This is not Jain’s first encounter with the law. In 2011, he was apprehended with unauthorized satellite phones. Now, he is facing new charges for impersonation, forgery, and breaches of India’s sovereignty.

UP STF received several tips regarding suspicious diplomatic activity in Kavi Nagar. The joint inquiry with central agencies established that no such embassy was approved by India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Jain has been sent to 14 days’ judicial custody.

A counterfeit flag, a counterfeit title, and Rs. 70 lakh later, Harshvardhan Jain’s micronation fantasy has ended in flames.