Chandan Mishra murder case: Two accused injured in police encounter, one held
The injured, identified as Balwant Kumar Singh, a native of Buxar, and Ravi Ranjan Singh, a native of Bhojpur, have been admitted to a hospital at Ara for treatment.
Meanwhile, another suspect, Buxar-native Abhishek Kumar Singh, has been arrested.
Two pistols, one desi kutta (country-made pistol), two magazines and four live cartridges have been recovered from the site of encounter, which falls under Bihia police station limits in Bhojpur district.
The joint STF-district police team, led by station house officer (SHO) of Bihia, cordoned off the area where the accused were hiding based on a tip. The team asked the accused to surrender. However, the accused opened fire at the police team. The police also opened fire in self-defence, injuring the two suspects.
Superintendent of Police (SP), Bhojpur, Raj said that raids were underway to arrest others involved in the murder of Chandan Mishra. A posse of armed police force has been deployed in the Bihia police station area after the early morning encounter, he added.
On July 17, Balwant had brought all the shooters to Paras HMRI hospital where Chandan Mishra, a murder convict on parole, was undergoing treatment. A group of five shooters, led by Tausif Raja alias Badshad, fired at Mishra in the Hospital's ICU.
Balwant has been named as an accused in an FIR lodged by Mishra's father at the Shastrinagar police station in Patna.
Tausif and his three associates were earlier arrested from Kolkata, and brought to Patna on transit remand. Tausif, a resident of Phulwarisharif in Patna, has been taken under police remand for further interrogation.
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Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
UP Police seeks custody of kingpin Harsh Vardhan Jain in 'fake embassy' case
Ghaziabad/Lucknow, Police in Ghaziabad has moved an application seeking the remand of Harsh Vardhan Jain, the alleged mastermind behind bogus 'embassies', who was arrested and sent to jail earlier this week for fraud and other offences. UP Police seeks custody of kingpin Harsh Vardhan Jain in 'fake embassy' case A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told PTI on Friday that the application for Jain's police custody has been filed and is likely to be heard by the court on Monday. "Beyond routine investigation, police are also looking into Jain's liaisoning network. His association and photographs with international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi have surfaced during the preliminary probe," the officer said. "Authorities suspect there may be a counter-intelligence angle involved, and several incriminating documents have been recovered," the officer added. Jain's elaborate racket was busted by the Special Task Force and the case is now being investigated by Ghaziabad Police. The STF is assisting the local police in pursuing the case. Meanwhile, the police also took note of a purported "official statement" issued by "Westarctica" on Friday in which the micronation distanced itself from Jain. "Jain was an authorised representative engaging in unauthorized activities," the statement from "Westarctica" said, clarifying that while Jain held the honorary title of "Honorary Consul to India" after making a donation in 2016, he was "never granted ambassadorial status". Founded in 2001 by former US Navy intelligence analyst Travis McHenry, "Westarctica" functions primarily as an environmental advocacy nonprofit registered in the US, with tax-exempt status since 2018. "Although they have issued a statement but its status as a nation is unrecognised therefore the statement holds zero value for us. However, we are getting it legally vetted for further perusal," the police officer, involved in the probe, told PTI. On Tuesday, the STF had raided Jain's rented bungalow in Ghaziabad's Kavinagar area and uncovered a fake embassy setup. The STF recovered ₹44.7 lakh in cash, multiple foreign currencies, fake diplomatic passports, 18 forged diplomatic number plates, and seals purportedly from the Ministry of External Affairs and firms in 34 countries. STF officials revealed that Jain had previously established over a dozen companies in Europe, allegedly used to facilitate hawala operations in collaboration with international associates, including Hyderabad-born Turkish citizen Ehsan Ali Syed - now jailed in Switzerland for fraud. Jain had also styled himself as an ambassador to other fictitious entities like "Saborga", "Paulovia" and "Lodonia", allegedly defrauding individuals under the pretense of offering overseas jobs and visas. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
News18
3 hours ago
- News18
UP Police seeks custody of kingpin Harsh Vardhan Jain in fake embassy case
Ghaziabad/Lucknow, Jul 25 (PTI) Police in Ghaziabad has moved an application seeking the remand of Harsh Vardhan Jain, the alleged mastermind behind bogus 'embassies', who was arrested and sent to jail earlier this week for fraud and other offences. A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told PTI on Friday that the application for Jain's police custody has been filed and is likely to be heard by the court on Monday. 'Beyond routine investigation, police are also looking into Jain's liaisoning network. His association and photographs with international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi have surfaced during the preliminary probe," the officer said. 'Authorities suspect there may be a counter-intelligence angle involved, and several incriminating documents have been recovered," the officer added. Jain's elaborate racket was busted by the Special Task Force (STF) and the case is now being investigated by Ghaziabad Police. The STF is assisting the local police in pursuing the case. Meanwhile, the police also took note of a purported 'official statement" issued by 'Westarctica" on Friday in which the micronation (a self-declared entity but unrecognised officially) distanced itself from Jain. 'Jain was an authorised representative engaging in unauthorized activities," the statement from 'Westarctica" said, clarifying that while Jain held the honorary title of 'Honorary Consul to India" after making a donation in 2016, he was 'never granted ambassadorial status". Founded in 2001 by former US Navy intelligence analyst Travis McHenry, 'Westarctica" functions primarily as an environmental advocacy nonprofit registered in the US, with tax-exempt status since 2018. 'Although they have issued a statement but its status as a nation is unrecognised therefore the statement holds zero value for us. However, we are getting it legally vetted for further perusal," the police officer, involved in the probe, told PTI. On Tuesday, the STF had raided Jain's rented bungalow in Ghaziabad's Kavinagar area and uncovered a fake embassy setup. The STF recovered Rs 44.7 lakh in cash, multiple foreign currencies, fake diplomatic passports, 18 forged diplomatic number plates, and seals purportedly from the Ministry of External Affairs and firms in 34 countries. STF officials revealed that Jain had previously established over a dozen companies in Europe, allegedly used to facilitate hawala operations in collaboration with international associates, including Hyderabad-born Turkish citizen Ehsan Ali Syed – now jailed in Switzerland for fraud. Jain had also styled himself as an ambassador to other fictitious entities like 'Saborga", 'Paulovia" and 'Lodonia", allegedly defrauding individuals under the pretense of offering overseas jobs and visas. PTI KIS ZMN view comments First Published: July 25, 2025, 21:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Print
8 hours ago
- The Print
Embassy of Westarctica: The unreal life of a fake diplomat & his grand illusion in Ghaziabad
Earlier this week, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) conducted a raid at Harsh Vardhan Jain's rented bungalow number KB-35 after verifying from the Ministry of External Affairs that no official embassy existed there. Now, the palatial two-storey wears a deserted look, bereft of the 'diplomatic' flags and the luxury cars. Welcome to the embassy of 'Seborgia, Poulbia, Lodonia and Westarctica'. Yes, these countries do not exist—not officially anyway, they are something called 'micronations'. Yet, this is where the son of a businessman spent almost eight years posing as a diplomat, allegedly brokering deals for companies and individuals seeking jobs abroad through a web of agents while flaunting his so-called connections, and running a hawala racket through shell companies. Nobody guessed a thing, until a tip-off blew the lid off a most intricate web of deception. New Delhi: The sprawling white building stood out even in the posh Kavi Nagar neighbourhood of Ghaziabad, with flags on the rooftop and no less than five high-end cars with 'diplomatic registration plates' lined up outside. A burnished plaque at the gates said 'Grand Duchy of Westarctica, H.E. (His Excellency) H.V. Jain, Honorary Consul', in ornate, curly letters. Before the raid, the STF had been tracking Harsh Vardhan, a native of Ghaziabad, based on inputs about his extravagant lifestyle, including his use of a swanky Mercedes S 350 bearing 'diplomatic stickers' and flags of non-existent foreign countries. At the 'embassy', the STF found Rs 44.70 lakh in cash, 12 fake passports in Harsh Vardhan's name, including 'diplomatic' ones bearing the names of these micronations, and forged Ministry of External Affairs documents, pointing to the magnitude of his illegal activities. They also found watches, an array of rubber stamps, car number plates, and ID cards. All the cars parked outside the gates were found to have been purchased second-hand at heavily discounted rates, with no fitness certificates. Investigators say the picture that emerges of Harsh Vardhan is that of a man who relished feeling important, flaunting connections, cruising around in high-end cars, and inviting people to hold talks at his 'embassy'. 'He used to press upon his web of contacts to bring more and more people daily for work in foreign countries. He craved attention and respect from people needing jobs abroad,' said an STF officer. Another STF officer said that as the agents would bring in businessmen and individuals seeking jobs overseas, Harsh Vardhan often used the false MEA documents found at his apartment to assert his 'influence'. He once also participated in a conference in Ghaziabad, allegedly as a counsellor of one of the micronations. In the initial round questioning by the STF, the 47-year-old denied having carried out any fraud and said all of his acts were out of 'passion and attachment with respect and command diplomatic entities hold'. He claimed that after meeting 'the people of Seborgia and Westarctica', he decided to establish their private embassy in India to help people get jobs abroad. No one has yet come forward and claimed to have been duped by Harsh Vardhan, and sources in the UP STF say the extent of the alleged job racket is yet to be revealed. But the plot thickens. He was an ardent follower of the late Chandraswami, a controversial self-proclaimed 'godman' of politicians who was known for his proximity to former prime minister P. V. Narasimha Rao. He has also been linked to UAE-based international arms dealer late Adnan Khashoggi, STF investigators said. Also Read: First Kailasa, now a fake 'Westarctica' embassy. Criminals are giving new meaning to cosplay A godman, an arms dealer & a satellite phone Just blocks away from the rented accommodation that was Harsh Vardhan's 'embassy of Westarctica', is the home of his elderly parents. The board outside the house suggests the senior Jain is an honorary animal welfare officer. It was from this house that Harsh Vardhan was thrown out with his 'embassy business' by his father earlier this year. The original owners of the 'embassy' have now found themselves in a pickle for no fault of their own. 'He shifted there with his business on 1 February this year on an agreement of Rs 35,000 per month,' the son of the landlord told ThePrint outside his house. 'I have come here only to clarify a few questions, as my house was shown all over news channels as being involved in some fraud.' Harsh Vardhan told the STF during his questioning that he has spent a considerable amount of time outside the country, and built contacts which he leveraged to run his alleged racket. He got his Bachelor in Business Administration from Ghaziabad's ITS College and an MBA from London where he visited frequently for work related to his father's firms. JD Jain, his father, used to own a factory in Uttar Pradesh and two marble mines in Rajasthan, exporting marble to London. It was during one of his business trips to London in 2000 that Harsh Vardhan came in contact with the 'godman' Chandraswami. 'Chandraswami introduced him to Saudi Arabia-based arms dealer Adnan Khaggosi and Adnan Rhabhi, a resident of Saudi Arabia, and Ahsan Ali Syed (a London-based Indian businessman),' a UP STF spokesperson said Wednesday. With Ali Syed's help, he allegedly incorporated more than a dozen consultancy firms in London that he used for liaison and brokerage, the spokesperson added. In 2006, Harsh Vardhan moved to Dubai from India and expanded his 'business empire' with the help of his cousin. 'He formed more companies through which brokerage was done in the name of getting (people) work, etc., in different countries, in which Harsh Vardhan Jain started getting good money,' the UP STF spokesperson said, quoting the 'diplomat's' revelations made during initial rounds of questioning. 'During this period, Harsh Vardhan Jain has also travelled to many countries in the Gulf and Africa, and conducted brokerage work in these regions.' Harsh Vardhan returned to India in 2011. The following year, he was booked by the Uttar Pradesh Police for possessing a satellite phone, which cannot be held without the permission of the Department of Telecommunications. He was never arrested in the case. Back in India, STF members said, he got into the business of running the 'fake' embassy in 2012 when he 'appointed' himself as an adviser to 'Seborgia', followed by his appointment as an 'honorary ambassador for Westarctica' in 2016. 'After meeting the people of Seborgia and Westarctica, I established their private embassy in India and have also installed diplomatic number plates on the 04 vehicles I have, which helps in influencing the people. I also get a good amount of money for providing work to people abroad,' an STF officer quoted him as saying. 'During interrogation, Harsh Vardhan Jain said he has been doing brokerage in the name of providing work to people in the country and abroad for many years,' an STF officer documented in the complaint that formed the basis of the FIR lodged Tuesday at the Kavi Nagar police station. 'Shell companies in UK, UAE, Africa' The STF has allegedly found that Harshvardhan opened several shell companies under names like 'State Trading Corporation', 'East India Company UK', and 'UAE Island General Trading Company LLC' in the United Kingdom, 'Indira Overseas Ltd' in Mauritius and 'Cameron Ispat SARL' in Cameron, in association with Hyderabad-born London businessman Ahsan Ali Syed. Ali Syed has been convicted by Swiss court on the charge of defrauding firms to the tune of 25 million pounds. Syed, currently a Turkish citizen according to the STF's findings, was arrested by the London police on the request of Swiss authorities and his extradition was approved in July 2023. The STF has also found 10 foreign bank accounts in Harsh Vardhan's name—six in Dubai, three in the UK and one in Mauritius based on PAN cards it seized during the Tuesday raid. 'He was playing in the big leagues with Ali Syed and Swami, especially between 2006 and 2012. He was acting as a liaison and took commission on bank accounts of shell companies incorporated overseas. He migrated and pursued the embassy business aggressively,' a UP police officer said. The social media game The STF officer quoted earlier further alleged that Harsh Vardhan used a morphed picture featuring the President of India, the Prime Minister, as well as other high-profile individuals on his social media profiles to lend credence to his claim of being a diplomat. 'All these were used for brokering and fraud in the name of providing work to companies and private people and to influence people. He illegally installed flags of different countries in his house in Ghaziabad and was running an embassy by putting diplomatic number plates on vehicles and was working from here through fraud, brokerage and hawala,' the UP STF spokesperson said. 'Details about how many people could have been sent to foreign countries, if any and how many were duped with such claims, is a matter of investigation which will come in due course. He will be questioned after he is taken into custody,' a UP police officer told ThePrint. UP police sources further said that his wife may also be summoned during the course of investigation, if needed. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: Iran embassy in India dismisses fake X handle's claim Kashmir is in Pakistan, 'attempt' to damage ties
