Westarctica fake embassy: Cops suspect accused has multi-crore scam link

Days after his arrest on charges of running a fake embassy in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, investigation against Harsh Vardhan Jain has unearthed shocking details, ranging from his possible links to a massive multi-crore scam, multiple foreign trips and several overseas bank accounts.

Probe by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) against the accused, who was arrested from a rented two-storey house in Ghaziabad projected as an embassy on July 23, alleged that he was involved in operating a job racket and money-laundering using the Hawala route.

Jain, who hails from a wealthy business family and studied overseas, was also arrested by the local police in 2012 for possessing a satellite phone illegally.

Officials also seized four vehicles with false diplomatic number plates from the premises in Ghaziabad, besides forged documents and luxury watches.

Also read: Fake Westarctica embassy in Ghaziabad busted, 'ambassador' arrested

According to the police, who have sought Jain’s custody, the latter could also be involved in a scam amounting to around Rs 300 crore.

While conducting the raid on the bogus embassy, officials discovered photographs of Jain with the late self-styled godman Chandraswami, an influential figure, and Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. The UP STF learned that Jain came to know Khashoggi and Ahsan Ali Sayad, accused of perpetrating fraud, through the godman.

According to reports, Sayad allegedly worked with Jain to open 25 shell firms for money-laundering. Sayad, who was born in Hyderabad and became a Turkish citizen later, ran a company in Switzerland which allegedly gathered brokerage worth 25 million pounds or nearly Rs 300 crore. He later fled from Switzerland and was arrested in London three years ago. Police are now trying to find out the extent to which Jain was involved in the scam.

They also found earlier that the accused used the false embassy and diplomatic cover for the purpose of expanding network and luring people with employment opportunities abroad.

Also read: Mangaluru multi-crore scamster nabbed; mansion with hidden chambers stuns police

The fake diplomatic premise, which bore the name plates “Grand Duchy of Westarctica” and “H E HV Jain Honorary Consul” and flags of India and Westarctica, a micronation in Antarctica which is not recognised by any sovereign state, was used as the cover to run the operation, investigators have alleged. The fake embassy has been in running since 2017, it was learnt.

Sources in the STF said Jain joined hands with individuals in places such as Hyderabad and Dubai to start more companies, ostensibly to grant employment opportunities and business deals abroad.

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Probe also revealed that Jain possessed 12 diplomatic passports and went to nearly 40 nations in the last decade. The countries include the UAE, UK, Mauritius, Turkey, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland, Sri Lanka, and Cameroon. He also made several visits to Seborga, a self-proclaimed principality in Italy, of which also he claimed to be an envoy.

Jain, who completed the Bachelor of Business Administration from a private college in Ghaziabad and Master's in Business Administration from London, would host charities including community feast outside the ‘embassy’. He reportedly rented the plush building six months ago.

Jain's Westarctica link

Westarctica distanced itself from Jain after his arrest. In a statement, it said in 2016, Jain was invited to join the micronation’s team of international volunteers which promotes its environmental and charitable mission in their respective countries after he made a generous donation.

“His official title was 'Honorary Consul to India'. He was never granted the position or authority of ‘ambassador’,” the statement read.

It criticised Jain after fake diplomatic items were found from him bearing the seal of Westarctica. It also said that by calling his home an ‘embassy’, Jain violated Westartica’s protocol for its representatives who are not encouraged to utilise number plates or passports.

Westarctica also said Jain has been “indefinitely suspended as a representative of our organization”.