A posh two-storey house in Ghaziabad, just outside Delhi, was decked with flags, luxury cars, and a nameplate that read: “Grand Duchy of Westarctica - H.E. HV Jain, Honorary Consul.” It looked like a real embassy, but it was all fake.

Uttar Pradesh’s Special Task Force (STF) arrested Harshvardhan Jain, the man behind the so-called embassy. Jain is accused of running an international job scam, laundering money, and faking diplomatic documents.

The STF seized several shocking items from the property:

  • Four luxury cars with fake diplomatic number plates

  • Fake diplomatic passports from 12 micronations

  • Documents with forged seals of India’s Ministry of External Affairs and 34 foreign nations

  • Rs 44 lakh in cash, foreign currency, and a luxury watch collection

  • 18 fake diplomatic number plates

Jain had rented the Ghaziabad property and turned it into a fake consulate. It even had flags of India and Westarctica, a self-proclaimed micronation in Antarctica that is not recognised by any country.

Inside the building were morphed photos showing Jain posing with world leaders, all part of the deception.

According to officials, Jain used the setup to gain trust, then tricked people into paying for fake job opportunities abroad. The ‘embassy’ had reportedly been operating since 2017. He even hosted charity events and community feasts to make it seem official.

This isn’t Jain’s first brush with the law. In 2011, police booked him for owning a satellite phone without permission. Investigators also discovered photos showing him with controversial figures like Chandraswami, a self-styled spiritual guru who once advised top Indian leaders, and Adnan Khashoggi, a Saudi arms dealer.

Chandraswami was linked to financial scams, and even accused of funding Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. Jain’s past associations have added another layer of suspicion.

A nameplate outside the Ghaziabad house introduced Jain as “Baron HV Jain, Consul-General of Westarctica.”

A few days before the STF raid, Westarctica’s official Instagram account shared images of the Ghaziabad building and a community feast, claiming:

"Managed by Baron HV Jain, Westarctica's Consulate-General in New Delhi has been operational since 2017... Baron Jain also distributes food to the local population 5 times per year, serving over 1,000 people in need."

Founded in 2001 by Travis McHenry, a former US Navy officer, Westarctica claims to be a micronation in Antarctica. It covers over 6.2 lakh square miles, and McHenry calls himself the Grand Duke.

Westarctica uses a loophole in the Antarctic Treaty, which bans countries from claiming land but says nothing about individuals. Despite having no actual residents, Westarctica says it has over 2,300 citizens and operates as a non-profit that promotes awareness about Antarctica and climate change.

It also has its own flag, currency, and titles, but none are legally recognised by any government.

Jain is now in custody, and investigations are on. Authorities are working to trace the people he may have tricked and determine the full scale of the operation.