Freedom 251 fame Mohit Goel arrested by police in Rs 200 Crore dry fruits fraud

New Delhi: Do you remember Freedom 251 fame Mohit Goel? A tech organisation that in 2016 made global headlines after claiming to launch the world’s cheapest smartphone at a price of Rs 251.

Noida Police arrested two officials of a consumer goods import-export company who are accused of duping billions of rupees from thousands of people across the country by tricking suppliers, officials said on Monday.

Mohit Goel one of the two arrested in this case in Noida on Sunday evening near Meghdootam Park in Sector 51. Police have seized three phones, 60-kilogram dry fruits, an Audi car, an Innova.

The company, Dubai Dry Fruits and Spices Hub”, had a frontal business of import and export of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) with a plush corporate office in the industrial hub of Sector 62 in Noida.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Love Kumar said the company has duped money from several people and an FIR was lodged against it in December.

According to police, Company used to purchase dry fruits and spices from wholesalers by quoting a higher price but were later not paying them money. They then used to sell the goods in the open market.

The company has so far duped more than 500 people in dry fruits fraud across the country. Police said that they have received complaints from people in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

A Noida police statement pegged the fraud amount running into “billions of rupees” and the number of persons duped by the company as “thousands”.

“During investigation, the Noida police team found two accused Mohit Goyal and Omprakash Jaangid and arrested them,” Kumar told reporters.

He said Goel is the key person in the gang which primarily has five to six core members and several other associates, who are yet to be arrested.