The Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh police caught a fake embassy racket operating from a house in the Kavi Nagar police station area of Ghaziabad. The STF arrested one Harshvardhan Jain, allegedly running bogus embassies of self-proclaimed micronations and cheating people under the guise of providing overseas job placements.
Acting on intelligence, the STF, in coordination with central agencies, conducted a late-night raid on Tuesday at 10 PM, uncovering an elaborate set-up posing as diplomatic offices of fictional micronations such as Seborga, West Arctica, Paulvia, and Ladonia.
The accused had falsely claimed diplomatic affiliations, used flags of various countries, installed diplomatic number plates on vehicles, and distributed fake diplomatic passports. These fraudulent symbols were used to gain the trust of job aspirants and extract large sums in the name of foreign employment and diplomatic connections.
Cash, Foreign Currency, and Forged Credentials Found in Raid
The raid led to the seizure of a massive amount of incriminating material, including:
- ₹44.70 lakh in Indian currency
- Foreign currency from multiple countries
- 34 official-looking stamps
- 20 fake diplomatic vehicle number plates
- 4 vehicles bearing diplomatic insignia
- 7 fake passports
- Fake press cards, forged documents bearing the seal of the Ministry of External Affairs
- Two PAN cards, Aadhaar card, voter ID, diplomat card
- 12 expensive branded watches, a laptop, and a mobile phone
- A diary with details of bank accounts, contacts, and foreign transactions
- A pen drive potentially containing sensitive data
According to officials, Harshvardhan had also edited and posted photos with India’s top political leaders on Facebook to enhance his credibility and lure victims. Inside his residence, his father-in-law Anand Jain, an associate Ishwar Singh, and domestic help Hemant Rajvanshi were present. Ishwar and Hemant were listed as witnesses in the STF report.
STF: Accused Used ‘Micronation’ Cover to Run Fake Embassy, Issue Diplomatic IDs
During questioning, Harshvardhan Jain confessed that he had been operating as a broker for many years, claiming to facilitate jobs in India and abroad. He exploited the concept of micronations—self-declared sovereign entities unrecognized by governments—by affiliating with obscure groups like Seborga and West Arctica, using them as a front to establish ‘personal embassies’ in India.
He procured diplomatic-looking IDs and documents, and even issued Seborga diplomatic passports, charging hefty sums from unsuspecting job seekers. The STF, after verifying the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs, confirmed that no such embassies could legally operate without central government authorization. The act was deemed a threat to India’s sovereignty and a clear violation of law.
“Such unauthorized operations mislead citizens, undermine international diplomacy norms, and exploit public trust,” an STF official said.
Following the bust, the STF has filed an FIR at Kavi Nagar Police Station, and further investigations are underway to identify victims, financial trails, and possible international links in the fraudulent operation.