UP Police busts fake 'Westarctica' embassy in Ghaziabad, arrests man posing as diplomat

The Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested a man for running a fake embassy in the state’s Ghaziabad district and pretending to be an ambassador.

The UP Police’s Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday cracked down on the fake embassy of ‘Grand Duchy of Westarctica’ in Ghaziabad’s Kavi Nagar area. The STF arrested a man identified as Harsh Vardhan for running the fake embassy, falsely posing as a diplomat, and operating cars with fake diplomatic number plates.

Westarctica is a ‘micronation’ that claims sovereignty over Marie Byrd Land in western Antarctica. No country or international organisation like the United Nations (UN) has recognised Westarctica as a sovereign state.

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Micronations are self-declared entities that claim to be sovereign states and have their own flag, constitution, currencies, and leaders, and usually comprise small territories like a farmhouse. However, they do not have any international recognition.

STORY | UP STF busts fake embassy in Ghaziabad, man running 'West Arctica' consulate held

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The STF has found that Harsh used edited photos showing him with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu to fool people into believing that he was indeed a diplomat, according to CNN-News 18.

Other than Westarctica, Harsh claimed to be a diplomat of micronations Seborga, Polynivia, and Ladonia, as per the report.

Fake embassy, fake passports, fake ambassador and a real fraudster

Harsh used to run the fake embassy of Westarctica from the address of KB-35 Kavi Nagar, Ghaziabad, according to Dainik Jagran.

The STF found multiple vehicles from his possession that had fake blue numberplates — such numberplates are only used by diplomatic vehicles accredited by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Notably, one cannot open an embassy, high commission, or function as a diplomat without being accredited by the Union government.

The STF also recovered Rs 44,70,000 in cash, currency of various countries, blue numberplates of 20 countries, and four cars with blue numberplates, among other things, from his possession, according to Jagran.

The STF cracked down on Harsh after receiving information that people were being duped by an embassy functioning in Kavi Nagar of Ghaziabad, as per the newspaper.

The STF cracked down on the fake embassy after confirming with central authorities that it was indeed a fake embassy and Harsh was a fraud, the report said.

As per the report, Harsh had been taking money from people with the promise of giving them jobs abroad and had even got people fake diplomatic passports of Seborga.