How ‘His Excellency HV Jain’ managed to stay undetected running fake embassies from so close to Delhi

Harsh Vardhan Jain claiming to be a diplomat for multiple unrecognised and fictitious nations has been arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force (STF) for running a fake embassy out of a rented property near Delhi.

But how he fraudulent operation and stayed undetected is intriguing.

A carefully constructed diplomatic persona

Jain claimed associative roles with invented or obscure micronations like Westarctica, Saborga, Poulvia, Lodonia, and Londonia, styling himself as "Ambassador" or "Consul‑General" of these fictitious states

He customised his bungalow in Ghaziabad's Kavi Nagar to resemble an embassy, which was adorned with national flags, diplomatic signage (e.g. “His Excellency HV Jain), luxury vehicles with blue diplomatic license plates, and even press cards

Visual deception to influence trust

Jain circulated doctored photographs showing him alongside prominent figures—India’s Prime Minister, former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and others—to project status and gain trust within elite and business circles

The combination of luxury cars, flags, nameplates, and morphed images created a powerful image.

Prior background and network

Jain hailed from a wealthy family in Ghaziabad that suffered setbacks after his father’s death. He held MBAs from London and local Indian institutions.

He reportedly associated with controversial personalities such as godman Chandraswami and international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, even setting up shell companies in the UK and Dubai to launder funds and establish brokerage networks

The fraudulent operation

Jain used the diplomatic facade to lure victims with promises of overseas jobs, business deals, and access to international markets. He asked for money to help open overseas bank accounts, buy property, or apply for visas or citizenship, none of which ever materialised

At the same time, investigators say he ran a hawala network through shell companies

How he stayed undetected

Operating from residential properties since around 2016, first from his parents’ bungalow and later shifting to a rented property in 2025, Jain's embassy went largely unnoticed by authorities until an anonymous tip-off triggered the raid

STF raid

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) raided the bungalow on July 22, arrested Jain, and recovered a trove of fraudulent items. Rs 44–54 lakh in cash, foreign currencies, four luxury cars with fake diplomatic plates, 12 forged diplomatic passports, 18 fake plate numbers, 34 rubber stamps of various nations, fake MED seals, fake press cards, fake PAN cards, and luxury watches

FIR

An FIR was filed at Kavi Nagar Police Station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including cheating, forgery, and misuse of forged documents and investigations into his broader hawala and shell company network are ongoing.