Maker of Freedom 251 Claims Delivery Guys Ran Away With the Phone

The world’s cheapest Android phone was launched last year.

Freedom 251 phone from Ringing Bells.

(Photo: The Quint)

There’s a new twist in the Freedom 251 smartphone story this week. Reports emerging suggest that the phones which were put in place to be delivered, never made it to the buyers.

Police on Sunday arrested two persons after Goel, Managing Director of Noida-based Ringing Bells Pvt Ltd which launched the world's cheapest smartphone last year, filed an FIR against them for not delivering "Freedom 251" units even after the company paid them in advance.

Adding to this, Goel, the maker of the controversial "Freedom 251" smartphone which became the talk of the town last year, resurfaced on Sunday, has claimed that if he gets support from the government, he can still deliver the handsets by March-April next year.

Also Read: Mohit Goel, Man Behind Freedom 251 Phones, Detained for ‘Fraud’

The accused Vikas Sharma, 35, and Jeetu, 40, both residents of Delhi, who allegedly took nearly Rs 3.5 crore from Ringing Bells for delivering handsets, were sent to Dasna jail, Noida's Superintendent of Police, City, Arun Kumar Singh told IANS.

I paid the duo nearly Rs 3.5 crore and, in return, they cheated me. They siphoned off the money and did not deliver any phone. In February this year, some distributors filed a case against me and I was jailed for six months. Now with the fresh arrests, people will come to know why I failed to deliver on my promise

Mohit Goel, Managing Director, Ringing Bells to IANS

Goel lamented that the government did not come to his support despite his commitment to 'Make in India' and 'Start-up India' initiative by providing every single Indian citizen with a smartphone.

Also Read: First Impression: You Can’t Ignore Ringing Bells’ Freedom 251

The big players today have adopted my model and are now giving smartphones in as low as Rs 1,300, like Karbonn. The Jio model for paying Rs 1,500 in advance for a smartphone is similar. They have deep pockets so they can afford but why don’t people ask them how they are making smartphones so cheap.

Mohit Goel, Managing Director, Ringing Bells to IANS

The company in mid-February 2016, had planned to deliver 2.5 million handsets before 30 June, the same year. Ringing Bells received mammoth – over 70 million – registrations before its payment gateway crashed.

Also Read: Freedom 251: ‘Cheapest Phone in the World’ or a Cheap Trick?

While there’s no doubt that only because of deep pockets, the likes of Reliance Jio and Airtel have managed to subsidised the price of their respective devices. But that doesn’t mean just because Goel and Co aspire to sell phones for as low as Rs 251, which most experts agreed wasn’t likely to work out financially.

If Goel manages to walk the talk (even now) people would just be glad they got their money's worth.

(With inputs from IANS)

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