By: Express News ServicePune | Updated: September 15, 2025 09:57 PM IST 3 min readPolice have recovered as many as 45 cell phones worth Rs 12 lakhs from their possession. (Source: Pexels)The Pune city police arrested three persons in connection with a cyber fraud in which WhatsApp accounts and credit cards of people were allegedly hacked to purchase mobile phones from online shopping portals.Police have identified the accused as Aslam Khan, (22) a native of Bihar, currently residing in Wagholi area of Pune city, and his accomplice Adib Rizwan Khan (21) of Surat in Gujarat. The third accused has been identified as Farhan Unwala, said police.Police have recovered as many as 45 cell phones worth Rs 12 lakhs from their possession.The arrests followed after an Indian Army soldier, who is a native of Assam but currently residing in Pune, registered a complaint with police.According to complaint, the soldier received an “APK file” on his WhatsApp number with a message of 50 per cent discount over online shopping on August 15. Soon after he downloaded the APK file, his mobile phone was hacked and four cell phones worth Rs 1.05 lakh were purchased from Flipkart using his HDFC Bank credit card account without his consent.The soldier lodged a complaint at the Wagholi police station on September 7, based on which an FIR was registered under Sections 319(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.A probe confirmed that the delivery of the cell phones purchased from Flipkart was done at Kesnand Road in Wagholi. Police procured the photograph of the person who received the cell phones in Wagholi.Story continues below this adDuring investigation, police identified Aslam Khan and arrested him from his residence at Kalubai Nagar in Wagholi, after a rigorous search operation, on September 8. His aide Adib Khan was also nabbed from the same spot. On September 10, police arrested Farhan Unwala from Gujarat.Probe revealed that Adib Khan’s aides allegedly hacked cell phones and credit cards of people to purchase mobile phones from online portals. He then allegedly travelled to different places for collecting the cell phones.Police said he came to Pune by flight from Surat to collect the cell phones delivered to Aslam Khan. “Adib was taking the cell phones to Surat,” said police on Monday.Senior inspector at Wagholi police station Yuvraj Hande said, “We have so far seized 45 cell phones that the accused and their accomplices had purchased online through cyber fraud. They have targeted people across the country. Further investigation is on.”Story continues below this adPolice said more persons are possibly involved in the cyber fraud. Police inspector Asaram Shete is investigating the case.Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Whatsapp