In a surprise instance of scam and deception, a Ghaziabad man was discovered operating an illegal “embassy” from a rented residence in Kavi Nagar, presenting himself as a diplomat for a number of self-proclaimed micronations. The Noida branch of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) uncovered the fact on Wednesday, declaring that the accused, Harsha Vardhan Jain, employed his counterfeit diplomatic status to cheat people, operate a hawala racket, and provide bogus overseas job opportunities.
Fake Diplomat, Fake Embassy, Real Crime
Jain purported to be the Consul or Ambassador for imaginary states such as West Arctica, Saborga, Poulvia, and Lodonia, all of which exist in no government or international organization’s records.
He employed cars with forged diplomatic number plates and released edited photographs of himself with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the President of India, and other senior leaders to lend credibility to his claim.
“He utilized his forged identity to make people trust him and move around freely as a diplomat,” an STF officer said.
Hawala Racket, Shell Companies and Foreign Job Scams
STF probe found that Harsha Vardhan Jain had been running the hawala racket through a series of shell companies, posing as a diplomatic broker. He tended to allure job seekers with job offers in other countries, on the strength of his pseudo-ambassador status.
“He was working as a broker, facilitating jobs abroad for companies and individuals, while quietly operating the hawala racket,” an STF official said.
The suspect had been living a luxurious lifestyle, giving the impression of power and international connections, while cheating innocent individuals and laundering money.
Associations with Controversial Personalities: Chandraswami & Adnan Khashoggi
Harsha Vardhan Jain’s background also connects him with infamous figures. He was reportedly close to self-styled godman Chandraswami, who had ties with influential political and business leaders, and Saudi arms trader Adnan Khashoggi, who was one of the richest men in the world in the 1980s, according to authorities.
In 2011, the police had already filed a case against Jain when he was found with an illegal satellite phone in Kavi Nagar too.
What Is a Micronation?
A micronation is a declared, unrecognized “nation”, usually set up by one or a few individuals as a means of protest, art installation, or individual expression. They do not receive recognition from any legitimate government or international organization.
The STF has initiated a thorough investigation into the case and is tracing all the people and companies who might have been involved or impacted. To date, no official government, embassy, or organization recognizes the “countries” Jain claimed to represent.
