Hundreds Of Buyers Sold Old Phones In UP, Probe Begins After Clash

According to the complainants, the shop promised brand-new iPhones but handed out old or refurbished devices instead.

With the shop shuttered since morning and no response from the owner, the affected buyers walked to the police station seeking help

Source : Pixabay

UP News: A chaotic scene unfolded at Saharanpur’s Nagar Kotwali police station on Saturday when hundreds of young buyers arrived together, alleging they had been duped into purchasing faulty iPhones. The phones were reportedly bought on finance from a store named Geetanjali Enterprises/Geetanjali Garments located near Nehru Market, Sher Chowk.

According to the complainants, the shop promised brand-new iPhones but handed out old or refurbished devices instead, Aaj Tak reported. Many said the phones worked for only a few days before shutting down permanently. Seeing the rising crowd, the police intervened and assured necessary action.

Paid In Full, Yet Asked For Extra Money

Victims claimed that even after clearing the full amount, the shop refused to take responsibility. To reactivate the phones, staff allegedly demanded an additional ₹2,000–₹3,000 each time. Dozens, possibly up to 100 buyers, reported the same issue, all linked to the same shop.

Sumit, one of the victims, said he bought an iPhone for ₹40,000. First, the camera malfunctioned, and although the phone was replaced, the second handset also died within days. Despite paying the full price, he was still asked to pay extra whenever the phone stopped working.

Phones Reset Automatically

Another complainant, Ali, said his device suddenly reset, erasing all data. When he returned to the shop, he too was asked for money—even though his payments were complete. He said this wasn’t the first such incident; multiple phones had failed together just two weeks earlier.

With the shop shuttered since morning and no response from the owner, the affected buyers walked to the police station seeking help.

‘Finish EMI first, then we’ll fix your phone’

Several youths alleged that the store sold these devices as “brand-new sealed units,” but once issues surfaced, customers were told to first complete all EMI instalments before any repair. Victims claim the shop merely resets the devices temporarily to make them work for a short while, and the problem soon returns.

They insist that if refurbished phones are being passed off as new, it amounts to serious fraud.

Police have registered the complaints and started an investigation. Officers said that if evidence shows the shop defrauded customers by selling old phones as new or by exploiting finance schemes, strict action will follow against the owner.

The youth eventually dispersed from the station, still visibly upset and anxious about the fate of their hard-earned money and devices.