In a stunning operation, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) dismantled a fraudulent embassy run from a luxurious bungalow in Ghaziabad’s upscale Kavi Nagar neighborhood. The mastermind, 47-year-old Harshvardhan Jain, was arrested on July 22, 2025, for posing as a diplomat of unrecognized micronations, including Westarctica, Seborga, Poulvia, and Londonia, to deceive individuals and businesses. According to the sources, Jain’s elaborate setup included forged diplomatic credentials, luxury vehicles with counterfeit diplomatic plates, and doctored photographs featuring prominent figures like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam to bolster his false persona.
Jain, a Ghaziabad native with an MBA from the London College of Applied Science, transformed a rented property into a convincing “embassy,” complete with national flags and official-looking paraphernalia. The STF raid uncovered Rs 44 lakh in cash, foreign currency, four high-end cars including an Audi and a Mercedes fitted with fake diplomatic plates, 18 additional plates, 12 counterfeit diplomatic passports, forged Ministry of External Affairs documents, 34 country and company seals, two fake PAN cards, and two bogus press credentials. India Today reported that Jain’s operation, active since 2017, lured victims with promises of overseas jobs and business deals, exploiting their trust for hefty payments.
Jain’s background traces back to a once-wealthy family that owned marble mines in Rajasthan. After his father’s death and subsequent business losses, Jain connected with controversial godman Chandraswami, who facilitated his move to London. There, he established multiple companies, which investigators suspect were used to conceal illicit funds. Jain also reportedly collaborated with international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi and businessman Ehsaan Ali Syed, expanding his ventures to Dubai. Following Chandraswami’s death, financial troubles prompted Jain’s return to Ghaziabad, where he launched the fake embassy scam.
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A 2011 case against Jain for possessing an illegal satellite phone hints at his prior run-ins with the law. The STF is now probing potential ties to a broader network, including associates in Dubai and London, to determine if the operation served as a front for money laundering or illegal remittances. A new FIR has been filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and other laws at Kavi Nagar police station, with further investigations underway to uncover the full scope of Jain’s deception, as per India Today.