UP man arrested for running fake embassy of micronation ‘Westarctica’
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New Delhi: The officials of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) have arrested a man who was running a fake embassy of the micronation ‘Westarctica’ in Ghaziabad.
Harsvardhan Jain is reported to have rented a luxurious building here turning it into the embassy of the micronation, founded by a US Navy officer, which is not yet recognized by any sovereign state.
Jain is accused of luring people as part of job a racket offering works abroad allegedly involving in a money laundering network.
From introducing himself as Westarctica's 'Baron' and traveling in luxury cars fitted with diplomatic number plates, he went to the extent of morphing his photos with those of the President, the Prime Minister and other eminent personalities to access elite circles.
Back in 2011, a case was registered against Jain for illegally possessing a satellite phone.
The STF officers have recovered four luxury cars with diplomatic number plates, 'diplomatic passports' of 12 micronations, stamps of the External Affairs Ministry and 34 other nations, and Rs 44 lakh in cash alongside foreign currency.
Sushil Ghule, Senior Superintendent of Police for UP STF said that the Noida unit of STF arrested on July 22 a man identified as Harshvardhan who claimed to be an ambassador of Westarctica and other micronations.
‘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 reportedly said.
The officer added that a case has been filed against him for allegedly running a racket alongside possessing forged documents.
Westarctica, a micronation with an area of 620,000 square miles, was founded in 2001 by Travis McHenry, an officer in the US Navy, who later appointed himself as its Grand Duke.
Westarctica is among several other micronations in the world claiming sovereignty but are not recognized by any state.
