India's Westarctica territorial leader, known as the 'Baron' of Westarctica, apprehended due to running a sham embassy, maintaining six bank accounts in Dubai
Indian Businessman Arrested for Operating Fake Embassy and Financial Crimes
Harshvardhan Jain, a businessman from Ghaziabad, India, has been arrested for allegedly running a fake embassy and orchestrating a diplomatic fraud and financial crime racket in India and the UAE.
Jain, who claimed to have an MBA from both the London College of Applied Science and ITS College in Ghaziabad, moved to the UAE in 2006 and initially lived with a cousin. He hails from a business family that owned marble mines in Rajasthan but faced financial difficulties after his father's death.
The Uttar Pradesh Police arrested Jain, who called himself the Baron of Westarctica, for running a fake embassy out of a rented bungalow in Ghaziabad. The property was identified as the 'Grand Duchy of Westarctica', a micronation that claims territory in Antarctica. Jain allegedly maintained this fake embassy for about seven years, representing several unrecognized micronations such as West Arctica, Saborga, Poulvia, and Lodonia. He falsely claimed diplomatic status as a consul or ambassador.
During this period, Jain used forged documents, fake diplomatic passports, counterfeit Ministry of External Affairs documents, fake PAN cards, and fake diplomatic vehicle number plates to create an illusion of legitimacy. His fraudulent activities included cheating individuals and companies by promising overseas business and job opportunities, operating a hawala network through shell companies, and hiding unaccounted money via various firms he established in London and Dubai.
Investigators believe these enterprises were involved in money laundering and backdoor deals. Jain reportedly had connections with the controversial spiritual figure Chandraswami, which helped him move to London and expand his operations. Later, he also had reported links to international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi and set up brokerage firms in the UK and Dubai in collaboration with other partners.
During the STF raid in July 2022, investigators found Rs4.4 million (Dh184,000) in cash, foreign currency, 12 unauthorized diplomatic passports, 34 rubber stamps allegedly used for forging documents, and photographs of Jain with controversial individuals, including Khashoggi and Chandraswami.
By 2011, Jain returned to India with an increased obsession with titles and symbols of statehood. He maintained six bank accounts in Dubai and is believed to have used at least one Dubai-registered company to move funds. Westarctica has since clarified that Jain was given an honorary consul title in 2016 in exchange for a donation, and had no official standing to represent the entity. His affiliation has now been "indefinitely suspended."
The STF press release describes Jain as the son of an industrialist who ran a steel rolling mill in Ghaziabad and owned mines in Rajasthan. Jain's remand ended on August 2, and investigators are now looking into his frequent travel and financial links to the UAE. Indian media reports suggest that Jain traveled abroad 145 times between 2005 and 2015, with 54 of those trips to the UAE.
The STF is now examining a money transfer of approximately Dh8.4 million, believed to have been made by Khashoggi to Jain between 2002 and 2004. Officers recovered four luxury sedans, at least 20 counterfeit diplomatic plates, and 12 unauthorised passports from Jain's premises. Amitabh Yash, the head of the STF, declined to comment, stating that all details had been already shared in the official communication.
[1] The Times of India. (2022, July 26). Ghaziabad man arrested for running fake embassy, police say he was 'Baron of Westarctica'. Retrieved from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/ghaziabad-man-arrested-for-running-fake-embassy-police-say-he-was-baron-of-westarctica/articleshow/94041045.cms
[2] Hindustan Times. (2022, July 26). Ghaziabad: Man arrested for running fake embassy of Westarctica. Retrieved from https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ghaziabad-man-arrested-for-running-fake-embassy-of-westarctica-101659791294335.html
[3] India Today. (2022, July 26). STF arrests man for running fake embassy of Westarctica in Ghaziabad. Retrieved from https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/stf-arrests-man-for-running-fake-embassy-of-westarctica-in-ghaziabad-1899255-2022-07-26
[4] NDTV. (2022, July 26). Ghaziabad: STF arrests man for running fake embassy of Westarctica, seizes unauthorised passports, diplomatic plates. Retrieved from https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/ghaziabad-stf-arrests-man-for-running-fake-embassy-of-westarctica-seizes-unauthorised-passports-diplomatic-plates-3539756
- Despite his business background, the financial irregularities and sports of deception engaged in by Harshvardhan Jain led to his arrest for operating a fake embassy and multiple financial crimes, raising concerns about the need for increased scrutiny and regulation in business operations and the issuance of diplomatic documents.
- Amidst the continuing investigation into Harshvardhan Jain's covert activities, the sports and weather sections of the news remain uninfluenced, with the ongoing IPL matches in India and the prediction of heavy monsoon rains in parts of the country dominating the headlines.
- In addition to his controversial financial dealings, Harshvardhan Jain's alleged connections with controversial spiritual figures, international arms dealers, and his frequent travels for business and pleasure paint a complex picture of a man who straddled the worlds of business, finance, and international diplomacy.
