Who is Harshvardhan Jain? 'Londonia envoy' who ran fake embassy in Ghaziabad

India Today

23-07-2025

A lavish bungalow, four luxury cars with diplomatic-style number plates, Rs 54 lakh in cash, and fake photos with global leaders - for years, one man operated a fake embassy from Ghaziabad, posing as an ambassador of obscure micronations. No one suspected a thing until the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) finally exposed the elaborate scam.Harshvardhan Jain, 47, was arrested for running an illegal 'embassy' out of a rented bungalow in Kavi Nagar. He had all the trappings of a diplomat, except the legitimacy.advertisementSo how did Jain manage to run such an audacious racket for years without raising suspicion? He had transformed the bungalow into a full-fledged embassy for a self-declared micronation called Westarctica, complete with national flags, blue-number-plated cars, and fake diplomatic credentials. WHO IS HARSHVARDHAN JAIN?
Harshvardhan Jain has an MBA from the London College of Applied Science. He also earned an MBA from ITS College in Ghaziabad.Jain's father was a businessman in Ghaziabad and the family owned marble mines in Rajasthan. However, after the demise of his father, the family faced losses in the business. During this time, Jain met Chandraswami, who helped him move to London, where Jain opened several companies.
The bungalow Harshvardhan used as embassy to defraud people
According to investigating agencies, these companies were used to hide unaccounted money. The sources also said that Jain also worked with Adnan Khashoggi, an international arms dealer, and subsequently expanded his business in Dubai as well.
Jain's return to Ghaziabad happened after Chandraswami passed away, and he started facing financial problems, after which he started the fake embassy and began cheating people.Officers said Jain used edited photos with political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, to convince people he was a powerful diplomat.
Harvardhan Jain's morphed photo with PM Modi
The investigation showed Jain's racket involved cheating individuals and companies by promising to help with overseas business and job opportunities. He also ran a hawala network through shell companies.The name plate of the rented villa, where Jain was operating the illegal embassy, mentions the name: Sushil Anoop Singh. The second nameplate, painted in gold, displays the name of the accused, H.V. Jain, with the title 'H.E.' prefixed to it. Notably, 'H.E.' stands for 'His/Her Excellency,' a formal honorific typically reserved for high-ranking officials such as ambassadors or High Commissioners in Commonwealth countries.
Harvardhan Jain's morphed photo with APJ Abdul Kalam
During the raid, the STF recovered fake diplomatic items, including four luxury cars with diplomatic plates, twelve diplomatic passports of micronations, forged documents of Ministry of External Affairs, two fake PAN cards, thirty-four counterfeit seals, two fake press cards, Rs 44.7 lakh cash, foreign currencies and eighteen fake diplomatic number plates.WHAT WAS HIS MODUS OPERANDI?Jain defrauded people under the guise of diplomatic connections and international job placements. Jain, 47, posed as a high-profile ambassador from several self-proclaimed micronations and was involved in hawala transactions, fraud, and brokerage under false pretences. According to the STF, Jain had falsely styled himself as a diplomatic figure by associating with obscure self-declared entities like Seborga, West Arctica, and Poulbia Lodonia — micronations with no legal international recognition. He used these bogus titles of "Ambassador" and "Advisor" to establish credibility and lure private individuals and companies into fraudulent job and business deals.advertisementAt his residence, he had hoisted the flags of various countries and operated vehicles bearing fake diplomatic number plates to maintain a facade of legitimacy. He also issued fake diplomatic and press ID cards without authorisation and had been conducting operations allegedly involving money laundering and hawala from the premises.ARREST AND SEIZURESOn the night of July 22, acting on a tip-off, STF teams raided Jain's home and arrested him around 11:30 PM. Officers found:Rs 44.7 lakh in Indian currencyForeign currency in significant denominationsFour vehicles with fake diplomatic number plates12 unauthorised passports20 fake diplomatic license plates34 counterfeit seals of various micronations and fake companies2 fake PAN cards in Jain's nameLuxury watches, fake diplomatic and press cardsA laptop and mobile phone used for illicit operationsCRIMINAL BACKGROUNDJain has a prior case against him from 2012, when Ghaziabad Police recovered a satellite phone from his possession, leading to charges under the Telegraph Act.His dubious journey began in the early 2000s when he came in contact with controversial godman Chandraswami, who allegedly introduced him to international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi and businessman Ehsaan Ali Syed in London. Jain and Syed then reportedly floated over a dozen companies in London, many of which were used for high-stakes brokerage and influence-peddling.advertisementLater, Jain moved to Dubai, where he collaborated with associates to establish companies aimed at 'facilitating' business across Gulf and African nations — a cover for alleged high-value fraud and middleman operations.THE ILLUSION OF LEGITIMACYFrom 2012 onward, Jain aggressively cultivated his fake diplomatic image. By associating himself with unrecognised micronations and creating a false narrative of being a high-ranking diplomat, he conned individuals and businesses into parting with large sums in return for job placements, contracts, and favours that never materialised.A new FIR has been filed against Harshavardhan Jain at Kavi Nagar Police Station under several sections of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) including fraud and misrepresentation. Authorities confirmed that further legal proceedings will be carried out by the local police.The STF emphasised that Jain's arrest has disrupted a major racket where symbols of international diplomacy were misused to create a facade of power and influence. The agency has warned citizens against falling prey to such fabricated diplomatic personas and urged them to verify all credentials with legitimate authorities.- Ends
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