Do you think a Rs 251 mobile is still a possibility? Well, there is someone who thinks so. Mohit Goel, the brains behind the controversial “Freedom 251” smartphone is back in the news, seeking government help to deliver the smartphones by March-April 2018.
Mr Goel stated he had entered a deal with two men from Delhi, who took nearly Rs 3.5 crore for the handsets but didn’t make any delivery.
"I paid the duo nearly Rs 3.5 crore and, in return, they cheated me,” Goel told IANS over the phone. “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."
The police on Sunday arrested two persons after Mr Goel filed an FIR against them for not delivering the Freedom 251 units even though his company paid them in advance.
The accused Vikas Sharma, 35 and Jeetu 40, both residents of Delhi were sent to Dasna Jail, Noida Superintendent of Police, City, Arun Kumar Singh said.
To recall, Goel, MD of Noida based Ringing Bells Pvt Ltd was arrested in February this year when an FIR was filed by Ghaziabad-based Ayam Enterprises for defrauding them of 16 Lakh. The Allahabad High Court granted him bail after a compromise was reached between both parties.
Goel also lamented that the Indian government did not come to support him despite his “Make in India” and “Start-up India” initiative. Despite that, he said he is still committed to delivering phones to the customers who have registered for the device.
"I am now entering into another venture. I will not disclose the details at this stage. But I will provide the mobile phones to the people," he told Times of India.