Ghaziabad – In a major bust, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) raided a house in the Kavi Nagar area of Ghaziabad on Tuesday night and uncovered a fake diplomatic operation being run under the guise of multiple foreign embassies. The STF arrested a man named Harshvardhan Jain who had been fraudulently operating these so-called embassies without any legal authorization.
During the raid, the STF recovered ₹44.70 lakh in cash, foreign currency from several countries, 20 fake diplomatic vehicle number plates, and four vehicles with such plates affixed. Various other items related to the fake embassy operation were also seized.
Tip-Off and Investigation
The STF had received information about suspicious activity in the Kavi Nagar area, where vehicles were being spotted with diplomatic flags and number plates, and a building was being used as a base for what appeared to be multiple foreign embassies. The alleged embassies were being used to defraud people under the pretext of offering foreign jobs and diplomatic connections.
Before conducting the raid, the STF sought confirmation from central government agencies. The agencies confirmed that no embassy can operate in India without authorization from the Ministry of External Affairs. Any such activity is a violation of India’s sovereignty and is considered illegal.
Human Trafficking and Fraud in the Name of Jobs Abroad
Upon raiding the premises at around 10 p.m., the STF found Harshvardhan Jain posing as a diplomat. He was taken in for questioning inside his makeshift embassy office. During interrogation, he confessed to acting as a middleman for people seeking employment overseas, a role he had been performing for several years.
Jain further revealed his connections with self-proclaimed micronations such as Seborga, Westarctica, Paulvia, and Ladonia, which falsely declare themselves as independent nations and run operations internationally without any legal standing. These groups are often involved in grey or illegal diplomacy and business dealings.
Working with individuals from Seborga and Westarctica, Jain had set up their so-called “private embassies” in India. He had also fixed diplomatic number plates on his personal vehicles and charged hefty amounts from people under the pretense of securing overseas employment.
Fake Diplomatic Documents and Online Deception
The STF also discovered that Harshvardhan had obtained and distributed fake diplomatic passports under the name of Seborga. His social media accounts, particularly Facebook, were filled with edited photographs showing him alongside well-known global leaders, including India’s President and Prime Minister. These photos were also displayed in his office to create a false impression of legitimacy and power.
Inside the house were his father-in-law Anand Jain, another man named Ishwar Singh from Bhatia Mod, and a domestic help named Hemant Kumar Rajvanshi. The STF recorded the statements of Ishwar and Hemant as witnesses and proceeded to arrest Harshvardhan Jain.
Seized Items from Harshvardhan Jain’s Residence
During the raid, the STF recovered a large cache of fraudulent and suspicious materials, including:
- ₹44.70 lakh in cash
- Foreign currency from multiple countries
- 34 fake official seals
- 20 diplomatic number plates
- Four cars with diplomatic number plates affixed
- Two forged press ID cards in Harshvardhan Jain’s name
- A diary containing bank account details and contact numbers
- Pen drives, two PAN cards
- Forged documents with the seal of India’s Ministry of External Affairs
- Aadhaar card, voter ID card, fake diplomat cards
- Seven illegal passports
- 12 branded watches
- One laptop and a mobile phone
The STF has registered a case at Kavi Nagar police station and further investigation is underway. Authorities believe that Harshvardhan may be linked to a broader network engaged in international job scams and fake diplomatic operations.
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