The maker of the controversial Freedom 251 smartphone Ringing Bells reportedly claims to have paid back the money it generated from the first 30,000 pre-booking orders on the first day of the sale this month. Mohit Goel, managing director of the Noida-based company, has claimed that the company will now accept cash on delivery only.
Ringing Bells had received 30,000 orders on the first day and the rest of the customers will be selected on first-come-first-serve basis as the company received a mammoth over 70 million registrations. The company plans to give 2.5 million handsets in the first phase before June 30.Ringing Bells has been facing an FIR and defamation suit amid serious questions being raised over the world’s cheapest smartphone.
Ringing Bells launched the Freedom 251 smartphone that, it said, has been developed “with immense support” from the government. As the makers of the smartphone went gaga over being part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India and Digital India initiatives in the last few days, a top government official clarified that the government has nothing to do with the Freedom 251 smartphone.