The Department of Telecommunications has sought clarification from Noida-based company Ringing Bells for marketing its smartphone Freedom 251, which was launched on Wednesday, without a Bureau of Indian Standards certification. Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kirit Somaiya on Thursday said on Twitter that the Uttar Pradesh government had been asked to look into the firm’s credentials, PTI reported.

In a series of other tweets, he confirmed that the telecommunications department had raised the issue and directed the UP government to check whether the company was bona fide. Besides the DoT, Somaiya approached the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Security and Exchange Board of India, Reserve Bank of India, state governments and the ministries of consumer affairs, corporate affairs and finance. He questioned the pricing of the mobile phone at Rs 251and requested these departments to look into it. The telecommunications department has yet to comment on the BJP MP’s queries.

Ringing Bells began taking orders for Freedom 251 on Thursday, but was soon forced to halt bookings because of overloaded servers and glitches on its website. Although highly anticipated owing to its affordable pricing, the launch of this Rs-251 smartphone came with an array of questions about matters ranging from its manufacturer to the feasibility of its cost. The Indian Cellular Association has also expressed scepticism over Freedom 251, the world’s cheapest smartphone, and advised consumers to stay cautious.