UP STF busts fake embassy in Ghaziabad, man running 'West Arctica' consulate held
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force has unearthed a fake embassy operating in Ghaziabad and has arrested a man who ran the "consulate" while claiming to be a diplomat of non-existent "West Arctica", a senior official said on Wednesday.
The accused, Harsh Vardhan Jain, a resident of Kavi Nagar in Ghaziabad, was arrested on Tuesday.
According to the STF's Noida unit, preliminary investigations suggest that Jain was engaged in brokering deals by falsely promising job placements for companies and individuals in foreign countries.
He is also suspected to be involved in running a hawala racket through shell companies, the agency said, adding the accused used morphed photos showing him with the prime minister, the president, and other dignitaries to mislead people.
Additional Director General of Police Amitabh Yash said the accused was running the bogus embassy from a rented house and projected himself as a consul or ambassador of non-existent countries such as West Arctica, Saborga, Poulvia, and Lodonia, and moved around in vehicles bearing fake diplomatic number plates.
Interrogation revealed that the accused had associations with controversial godman Chandraswami and international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi in the past. In 2011, Jain was booked in a case related to the recovery of an illegal satellite phone.
Following his arrest on Tuesday, four vehicles bearing fake diplomatic number plates, 12 forged diplomatic passports of the so-called micronations, fake documents stamped with the seal of the Ministry of External Affairs, two forged PAN cards, 34 rubber stamps of various countries and companies and two fake press cards have been seized.
The STF also recovered Rs 44.7 lakh in cash, foreign currency, documents related to multiple companies, and 18 fake diplomatic number plates.
An FIR has been lodged at Kavi Nagar police station, and further proceedings are underway, the agency said.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
