In a bizarre saga that reads like a crime thriller, Harshvardhan Jain stands accused at the centre of a massive fake embassy operation, which for years quietly flourished in an upscale Ghaziabad neighbourhood. The dramatic bust by Uttar Pradesh’s Special Task Force (STF) on Monday ended Jain’s audacious act as an “ambassador” for obscure, entirely unrecognised micronations, an operation that media reports called as one of the most elaborate diplomatic charades in recent Indian history.
According to an India Today report, Jain, 47, hailed from a privileged background in Ghaziabad. His family once ran successful marble businesses in Rajasthan before a series of financial setbacks changed their fortunes. Jain pursued higher education both at ITS College, Ghaziabad and the London College of Applied Science, securing MBAs from both institutions. Despite his qualifications, it was the loss of his father and subsequent business woes that appear to have set him on a different path.
His proximity to controversial spiritual figure Chandraswami marked a pivotal turn. According to India Today, Chandraswami supported Jain’s move to London, where he mingled with high-profile businessmen and allegedly international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. Jain reportedly went on to establish several businesses in London and Dubai, which investigators claim were later flagged for hiding unaccounted funds and facilitating hawala transactions. These activities were believed to involve “money laundering and backdoor business deals.” Jain returned to Ghaziabad after facing financial difficulties following Chandraswami’s demise.
What sets Jain’s story apart is not simply the fraud, but the sheer scale and attention to detail in constructing a false diplomatic life. Jain lived in a plush bungalow in Kavi Nagar, with luxury cars sporting blue diplomatic plates parked outside. The property was festooned with flags of actual countries and fictional micronations alike; inside lay an array of fake Ministry of External Affairs documents, dozens of forged seals and morphed photographs showing Jain with various world leaders - a set-up that police sources described to India Today as “theatre” of deception.
Jain adorned his nameplate with “H.E. HV Jain”, styling himself as “His Excellency”, a formality typically reserved for senior diplomats. The so-called embassy was complete with multiple “diplomatic passports” for micronations like Westarctica, Seborga, Poulbia and Londonia - entities that exist only on paper and have no recognition under international law.
According to STF officers, Jain used the guise of diplomacy to promise aspiring job-seekers foreign employment and businesspersons lucrative overseas contracts. He projected credibility with forged credentials, morphed photographs and vehicles with fake diplomatic number plates. To those seeking government contract work abroad or international mediation, Jain presented himself as the gateway.
His scams, as described by India Today, involved cheating individuals by promising “favours that never materialised”. The operation reportedly ran since 2017, using fake charity events for community outreach and as a front for illegal operations.
The STF’s late-night raid on Harshvardhan Jain’s bungalow reportedly uncovered a cache more suited to a real consulate than a criminal operation - though, as investigators quickly confirmed, everything was forged. The police discovered four luxury vehicles parked on the premises, all fitted with fake diplomatic number plates. Inside, they found eighteen counterfeit diplomatic number plates ready for use, as well as twelve fabricated diplomatic passports linked to unrecognised micronations.
Officers also reportedly seized thirty-four fraudulent seals and an array of forged documents purporting to be from the Ministry of External Affairs, alongside two fake PAN cards, forged press credentials, nearly Rs 45 lakh in cash and significant quantities of foreign currency.
Investigators recovered a collection of high-end watches and electronic devices believed to be used in furthering Jain’s operations. Following his arrest, a fresh FIR was registered and the case has now been transferred to Kavi Nagar Police for continued legal action.
India Today reported that this is not Jain’s first brush with the law. He previously faced charges in 2012 after being found with a satellite phone, which led to prosecution under the Telegraph Act. Authorities are probing whether his fraudulent activities had broader links to his network of associates in London and the Gulf, or whether he operated largely alone.
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