World's cheapest smartphone (Freedom 251) maker arrested for extortion
What's the story
Mohit Goel, who was once in the international spotlight for offering Freedom 251, the world's cheapest smartphone, was arrested in New Delhi on Sunday for allegedly trying to extort money from a businessman to "settle a gang-rape case". Two others were also arrested along with Goel. Goel is the founder of Noida-based Ringing Bells, the company which manufactured the Freedom 251 smartphones. Here's more.
Rape case
What we know about the alleged gang-rape case
The case dates back to March 6, when a woman from the Alwar district of Rajasthan lodged a complaint alleging that she was gang-raped by five businessmen. The police had subsequently arrested all the five accused. Meanwhile, Goel's arrest resulted out of him being part of a three-member "gang" which was trying to extort Rs. 5cr from a businessman over the rape case.
Quote
The police's statement on Goel's arrest
"The police have arrested three members of a gang, who were trying to extort money to settle a rape case registered by one of them against the brother of the complainant and others in Rajasthan," said the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North West), Aslam Khan.
Freedom 251
Mohit Goel's claim to fame
In 2016, Mohit Goel's Ringing Bells made international news when it announced its Freedom 251 smartphones for just Rs. 251 a piece. 30,000 people paid and pre-booked the phone while over seven crore people registered for its sale. However, the sale was plagued by multifarious technical problems, and Ringing Bells eventually closed shop after several enquiries by police and tax officials.