Man behind Freedom 251 mobile phone detained for fraud


GHAZIABAD, Feb 23 (PTI) : Mohit Goel, the Director of Noida-based company Ringing Bells which had announced Freedom 251 smartphones at an astonishingly low price of Rs 251 apiece, was detained in Ghaziabad on Thursday on allegations of fraud, police said.

Goel has been detained after owner of Ghaziabad-based Ayam Enterprises filed an FIR on Wednesday alleging that Ringing Bells "defrauded" it of Rs 16 lakh.

Ghaziabad Deputy SP Manish Mishra said Goel has been detained for interrogation in the matter.

In the FIR, Ayam Enterprises has claimed it was persuaded by Goel and others from Ringing Bells to take up the distributorship of the Freedom 251 phones in November 2015.

"We paid Rs 30 lakh to Ringing Bells through RTGS on different occasions. But it delivered us product worth Rs 13 lakh only. Upon follow-up, we could get products plus money totaling Rs 14 lakh," it claimed in the FIR.

The owners of Ayam Enterprises claim that they were threatened with life if they asked for the rest Rs 16 lakh "again and again".

Ringing Bells had begun the sale of Freedom 251 handsets, touted as the world's cheapest, via its website in February last year.

It landed in a controversy, however, with some alleging it was like ponzi scheme. The firm had claimed that around 30,000 customers had booked the phone despite some glitch and seven crore people registered for it.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Rajesh, Udupi

    Fri, Feb 24 2017

    Ha ha..good old days are over guys... all such quacks and rogues will be shown right place. one by one.....sicklars will cry foul... LOL

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Rita, Germany

    Fri, Feb 24 2017

    Everyone is trying to earn money either with or without ringing bells.Money doesnt stink.Now may be the last bells are ringing to go towards the jail door.

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • SMR, Karkala

    Thu, Feb 23 2017

    At an event presided by BJP MP Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi in New Delhi , India's Rs. 251 smartphone the Ringing Bell Freedom 251 was officially launched. The themes of Digital India, Skill India, and Make in India were given a lot of importance at the launch event, as the potential use cases of the phone to empower citizens in rural and semi-urban areas were highlighted.

    DIPP Secretary Amitabh Kant washed his hands of the Freedom 251 phone, which has run into a major controversy with questions being raised over the company providing mobile handset at a dirt cheap price.

    The Director of Noida-based company Ringing Bells must have inspired by BJP's 'Ab ki baar' tagline.

    The company went on for online pre booking even though the product is not even produced. Only buyers mesmerised by crazy deal transfered money and prebooked without any delivery note.

    So 'Ab ki baar' if there is some bell rings citizens need to be more cautious.

    Jai Hind



    1

    DisAgree [1] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • ca girishkk, m'lore/dxb

    Thu, Feb 23 2017

    @ Jossey...,

    Moral of the story is FEKU syndrome may conquer in the short run..., but in the long run it is purged phenomena...,

    lol

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rajesh, Udupi

    Thu, Feb 23 2017

    Probably he still was under congi hangover and thought fraud is just acceptable by paying something....

    Ha ha..good old days are over guys... all such quacks and rougues will be shown right place. one by one.....sicklars will cry foul... LOL

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Amigo, Mangalore

    Thu, Feb 23 2017

    Goel is a Feku's Gaonwalla

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Thu, Feb 23 2017

    Bells are ringing for FEKU ...

    DisAgree [4] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Suratkal/M'lore/Bahrain

    Thu, Feb 23 2017

    Clear case of freedom 420. Cheaters and fraudsters are safe under our....

    DisAgree Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • Amigo, Mangalore

    Fri, Feb 24 2017

    Feku GOBERMENT!!!!!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


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