High-end cars with diplomatic number plates parked outside, diplomatic passports in a fake office, morphed pictures with state leaders and foreign currency — officials of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) have busted a fake embassy in Ghaziabad. Yes, you read it right: a fake embassy.
Police have arrested Harsvardhan Jain, who allegedly rented a luxurious double-storeyed building and ran it as the embassy of ‘Westarctica’, a micronation founded by a US Navy officer, but not recognised by any sovereign state. He is accused of running a job racket to lure people with work abroad and was also allegedly part of a money laundering network.
Jain would allegedly introduce himself as Westarctica’s ‘Baron’ and travel in high-end cars with diplomatic number plates. It is alleged that he would use morphed pictures with the President, the Prime Minister and other eminent people to curry favour in elite circles. In fact, a case was registered against Jain back in 2011 for illegally possessing a satellite phone.
Officers of the STF have recovered four high-end cars with diplomatic number plates, ‘diplomatic passports’ of 12 micronations, documents with stamps of the External Affairs Ministry, stamps of 34 nations, Rs 44 lakh in cash, foreign currency and 18 diplomatic number plates.
“On July 22, the Noida unit of UP STF arrested a man running a fake embassy in Ghaziabad. Harshvardhan would introduce himself as an ambassador of Westarctica and other micronations for networking. We have recovered cars with diplomatic number plates not approved by any authority. He used morphed photos with eminent persons to create an impression. He used this cover for running a job racket after promising work abroad and a hawala racket through shell companies,” Sushil Ghule, Senior Superintendent of Police for UP STF, said. “We have registered a case against him for running this racket and possessing and making forged documents,” the officer said.
What Is Westarctica?
Travis McHenry, an officer in the US Navy, founded ‘Westarctica’ in 2001 and later appointed himself its Grand Duke. Located in Antarctica, Westarctica has an area of 620,000 square miles and McHenry used a loophole in the Antarctic Treaty System to appoint himself the ruler. While the treaty prohibits countries from laying claim to parts of Antarctica, it says nothing about private individuals. Westarctica claims it has 2,356 citizens — none of them live there. Based in southern California, the Grand Duchy of Westarctica functions as a non-profit that spreads awareness about climate change and Antarctica. It has its own flag, currency and also issues titles that no government recognises.
Interestingly, days before the UP STF busted the fake embassy, the official Instagram handle of Westarctica had shared photos of its “Consulate-General in New Delhi”.
“Managed by Baron HV Jain, Westarctica’s Consulate-General in New Delhi has been operational since 2017. In addition to representing Westarctica’s interests in India, Baron Jain also distributes food to the local population 5 times per year, serving over 1,000 people in need,” the caption read, sharing photos of the plush building in Ghaziabad and also a ‘bhandara’ reportedly organised by Jain.
Westarctica is not the only one. There are scores of micronations across the world that claim sovereignty, but are not recognised by any State.
