Fake embassy being run by Ghaziabad man from rented home busted, fancy ‘diplomatic’ cars seized

Harshvardhan Jain was running a fake embassy from his Ghaziabad home, posing as ambassador of fictitious nations like Westarctica, Saborga, Poulvia, Londonia.

Updated on: Jul 23, 2025, 16:06:41 IST

By Rohit Kumar Singh

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A Ghaziabad man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly operating a fake embassy from a rented house in Kavi Nagar, a senior police officer said.

The accused, Harshvardhan Jain, had used diplomatic number plates on his vehicles and morphed photographs with prominent figures. (HT Photo)

“The accused, identified as Harshvardhan Jain, was operating an illegal diplomatic mission from a rented house in Ghaziabad’s Kavi Nagar. Jain, living in the same locality, claimed to be the consul/ambassador of countries like Westarctica, Saborga, Poulvia, and Lodonia,” UP Police additional director general (law & order) Amitabh Yash said.

“The consul is a government official residing in a foreign country to represent the interests of their home country and its citizens. They handle various tasks like issuing visas, renewing passports, and providing assistance to citizens abroad, while also promoting trade relations,” he added.

The accused had used diplomatic number plates on his vehicles and morphed photographs with prominent figures, including the Prime Minister and the President. “His main activities included brokering deals for companies and individuals to work abroad and running a hawala racket through shell companies.

Investigations revealed Harshvardhan’s past connections with Chandraswami and Adnan Khagoshi, an international arms dealer,” Yash said.

“In 2011, Harshvardhan was found with illegal satellite phones, and a case was registered at the Kavi Nagar police station in Ghaziabad,” Yash added.

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) Noida unit seized over ₹44 lakh in cash, foreign currency of several countries, four vehicles with diplomatic number plates, 18 diplomatic number plates, 12 diplomatic passports of micronations, forged documents with the Ministry of External Affairs seal, two fake PAN cards, 34 seals of various countries and companies, two fake press cards, and documents of various companies.

A case has been registered at the Kavi Nagar police station in Ghaziabad, and further legal proceedings are underway, the officer said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rohit Kumar Singh
Rohit Kumar Singh is a senior journalist based in Lucknow and currently serves as Special Correspondent and City Chief with Hindustan Times. With over 25 years of experience in journalism, he specialises in investigative reporting, with a strong focus on crime, policing, internal security, terrorism, governance and public policy in Uttar Pradesh. He began his journalism career in 2000 and joined Hindustan Times in June 2008 after working with The Daily Pioneer and Sahara Samay. Over the years, he has produced numerous high-impact investigative and exclusive reports on organised crime, terrorism, law enforcement, politics, governance and public administration. Rohit has extensively covered major criminal investigations, terror incidents, elections, police reforms, anti-terror operations, corruption, communal violence and other sensitive security issues. His reporting is recognised for its accuracy, depth, strong sourcing and analytical approach, making him one of the most respected journalists covering the police and internal security beat in Uttar Pradesh. Throughout his career, he has consistently delivered stories that have shaped public discourse, exposed systemic lapses and promoted accountability in governance and law enforcement. He continues to focus on public-interest journalism, combining investigative reporting with in-depth analysis of issues that impact governance and public safety.Read More

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