Ghaziabad man who ran fake embassy visited 40 nations in 10 yrs: UP Police

UP Police say Harsh Vardhan Jain held 12 diplomatic passports and visited over 40 countries, running shell firms from Ghaziabad

Investigations into the fake embassy racket uncovered in Ghaziabad’s Kavi Nagar have revealed that the accused, Harsh Vardhan Jain (47), held 12 diplomatic passports and had travelled to nearly 40 countries over the last decade.

 

Jain allegedly posed as the ambassador of a fictitious nation called ‘Westarctica’. According to an Indian Express report, he had travelled to nearly 40 countries over the past 10 years, with more than 30 visits to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) alone. The other countries include the UK, Mauritius, Turkey, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Switzerland, Poland, Sri Lanka, and Belgium. His frequent travel reportedly helped him establish and manage shell companies across Gulf and European nations. 

 

Probe on shell companies and fake job offers

Police believe Jain used the fake companies to promise overseas employment and business opportunities to unsuspecting individuals. In many of his ventures, he listed himself as either director or secretary. Investigators are now working to identify how many people may have been defrauded through these operations.

Judicial custody and further probe underway

Jain was sent to judicial custody following preliminary questioning. Authorities have filed a plea seeking his custodial remand for deeper interrogation. Officials have also identified over half a dozen individuals who are believed to have assisted Jain in running the scam from Ghaziabad. 

Dubai, Mauritius and UK firms under scrutiny

The UP STF has revealed that Jain operated a complex financial network with links extending from marble mines in Rajasthan to overseas bank accounts. They have identified six bank accounts in the UAE, three in the UK, one in Mauritius, and one in India registered under Jain’s name.

Links to Chandraswami, Khashoggi, and convicted businessman

During interrogation, Jain reportedly admitted to past associations with controversial figures such as self-styled godman Chandraswami and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi during his time in London. He also had ties with Ehsan Ali Syed, a Hyderabad-born businessman, who is currently serving a six-and-a-half-year prison term in Switzerland for financial fraud. 

Jain’s connection to Syed was allegedly established through Chandraswami in the early 2000s. Syed’s company, Western Advisory Group, based in Switzerland and Bahrain, had collected over 25 million euros in brokerage fees between 2008 and 2011 by offering fake loan deals, the report noted. 

In collaboration with Syed, Jain is believed to have floated numerous shell firms including:

• State Trading Corporation Limited
• East India Company UK Limited
• Island General Trading Co LLC (UK)
• Indira Overseas Limited (Mauritius)
• Cameron Ispat SARL (Cameroon)

Authorities are now checking these companies for their possible involvement in this international fraud and money laundering.