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Monday, January 5, 2026
TopicUP STF

Topic: UP STF

Ghaziabad’s ‘Westarctica envoy’ was planning Dubai polo league, with sports, film stars as ‘patrons’

UP STF found brochure of proposed league from a laptop recovered during raid against Harsh Vardhan. STF will contact celebrities to ask if their photos were used with their consent.

Micronation drama unfolds, Westarctica’s ‘grand duke’ suspends Ghaziabad man as ‘representative’

Ghaziabad man Harsh Vardhan was arrested by the UP STF earlier this week for running a fake embassy of unrecognised micronations including Westarctica.

‘Westarctica envoy’ running Ghaziabad ‘embassy’ made 100 foreign trips in last 20 yrs—UP STF

He frequently visited the UAE and UK. He also made at least 6 trips to Seborga, an unrecognised principality in Italy’s Liguria province, of which he claimed to be ambassador.

A digital arrest kingpin tells all: Chinese syndicates, Cambodian scam farms & the perfect trap

In Part 1 of this two-part series, ThePrint looks at an Alwar man who got involved with Chinese-run ‘digital arrest’ scam farms in Cambodia and ended up recruiting for them in India.

60-yr-old Imrana held for ‘dealing bombs’ in Muzaffarnagar, family refutes cops’ 2013 riots theory

Imrana was arrested on basis of statement by man who claimed he was on his way to her house to deliver IEDs. Her family says rioters burnt down their house in 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.

Student leader to Purvanchal bahubali — who was Vinod Upadhyay, killed in encounter with UP STF

Vinod Kumar Upadhyay enjoyed patronage of Hari Shankar Tiwari & had at least 35 criminal cases lodged against him in police stations across UP between 1999 and November 2023.

Pics with Modi & Yogi, his own OSD & gunner — how ‘rail panel member conned public of crores’

Anoop Chaudhary appointed an OSD and managed to get a gunner from Ghaziabad Police. He has 9 cases against him in UP, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan. Also claimed to be a BJP member.

On Camera

New labour codes can change the harsh reality of gig work

Employers and customers need to understand that gig workers are as much workers as factory workers or farm labourers, and that they are not miscreants.

Trump threatens India with fresh tariffs on Russian oil, calls PM Modi a ‘good guy’

The latest comment comes as New Delhi and Washington have yet to sign a trade agreement. India’s purchase of Russian oil has reduced, but Moscow remains top source for crude.

Greece looking at TATA’s WhAP infantry combat vehicle for army procurement

If deal goes through, Greece will be 2nd foreign country to procure vehicle. Morocco was first; TATA Group has set up manufacturing unit there with minimum 30 percent indigenous content.

A year-end Mea Culpa in National Interest—The Army-Islam combo doesn’t kill democracy

Many of you might think I got something so wrong in National Interest pieces written this year. I might disagree! But some deserve a Mea Culpa. I’d deal with the most recent this week.