The special investigation team (SIT) that is looking into the alleged sex assault on two nursery students in Maharashtra's Badlapur has recorded the statement of the accused's father and brother, sources said.
The statements by the father and the brother of the accused, Akshay Shinde, indicate he was mentally fit, sources said. Shinde also has a "cruel mentality", they said. Shinde was an attendant at the school.
Shinde's first wife - who separated from him just five days after their wedding - had in her statement said he used to thrash her and do "unnatural, cruel acts".
Sources said the SIT has sufficient evidence against Shinde, and the case has become stronger after his family members gave their statements.
The SIT is still looking for Shinde's phone.
The SIT was formed after the police did not investigate the case properly, leading to a strong outburst from the public, the Bombay High Court had said on September 3.
"... Don't file the chargesheet hurriedly. There is still time. Don't go by public pressure. Investigation has to be done properly before the chargesheet is filed," the court had said, and made it clear that this case would set a precedent for all such cases in future.
Protests had broken out in many parts of the state following the alleged sexual abuse of the two nursery students.
Featured Video Of The Day
Vijay's GOAT Crosses Rs 300 Crore Mark
3 Workers Killed In Blast At Chemical Factory In Maharashtra: Police Lalu Yadav, 76, Undergoes Angioplasty At Mumbai Hospital Mohun Bagan Super Giants, Mumbai City FC Clash In ISL Season Opener Left Veteran Sitaram Yechury Dies At 72 After Battling Respiratory Illness Everyone Over 70 To Be Covered Under Health Insurance Scheme: Centre Opposition vs BJP After PM Visits Chief Justice's Home For Ganesh Puja Retail Inflation At 3.65 Per Cent In August: Government Data "Like Mirchi Sunne Waale...": AAP MP Raghav Chadha's Pitch For Haryana Polls Googles AI Data Protection Practices Probed By Irish Regulator Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.