Harshvardhan Jain, a 47-year-old resident of Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) for operating a fake embassy from a rented bungalow in Kavi Nagar.
Jain posed as a diplomat of fictional micronations such as “Westarctica”, complete with forged Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) documents, diplomatic number plates, and photos morphed with national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, reported India Today.
During the raid on July 22, officers recovered Rs44.7 lakh ($66,000) in cash, foreign currency, 18 fake diplomatic licence plates, four luxury cars, 12 counterfeit diplomatic passports, 34 forged seals, and fake PAN and press ID cards.
Jain had transformed his bungalow into a full-fledged “embassy” of unrecognised nations like Saborga and Poulbia Lodonia.
According to police, he lured people with promises of overseas jobs and business deals, using his fake diplomatic persona.
His illusion was backed by edited social media posts and bogus credentials portraying him as a high-ranking official. The so-called “Consulate-General of Westarctica” even featured on Westarctica’s official Instagram, calling him “Baron HV Jain”.
A former associate of godman Chandraswami and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, Jain had floated several shell companies in London and Dubai, believed to have been used in money laundering operations, reported the Times of India.
Investigations revealed he has a prior criminal record and was previously arrested for possessing an illegal satellite phone in 2011.
Jain has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for forgery, impersonation, and fraud.
Authorities said his operation misused diplomatic symbols and created an illusion of legitimacy to defraud individuals and businesses.
STF officials have urged the public to verify all diplomatic claims through official government channels and warned against falling prey to such elaborate scams.
The investigation continues as police seek to determine the full extent of Jain’s fraudulent activities and identify any possible accomplices in India or abroad.
