The husband of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a 28-year-old mother from Virginia who has been missing for over three weeks, is accused of murdering her inside their home and concealing her body outside.
Naresh Bhatt, who has been charged with felony prohibition against concealment of a body, was arrested Thursday after authorities executed a search warrant at the couple’s residence. He appeared in court on Friday for an arraignment but has not yet been formally charged with murder.
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According to a preliminary criminal complaint, Naresh Bhatt allegedly killed his wife “on or about July 30, 2024.”
The complaint further states that evidence found in the home suggests Mamta Bhatt’s body had been inside the residence before being dragged outside. Investigators also uncovered a “substantial amount of digital and forensic evidence” supporting her death, according to the court documents.
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The public defender’s office, which is representing Naresh Bhatt, has not responded to requests for comment. Authorities have not yet disclosed whether additional charges will be filed against him.
During his arraignment, the judge maintained the terms of Bhatt’s bail, and he continues to be held without bond. Court records show that a bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Mamta Kafle Bhatt was last seen on July 27 at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas, where she worked as a registered nurse. She reportedly spoke with a friend on July 28, and her husband claimed to have last seen her on July 31 at their dinner table, according to WTOP News.
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Authorities conducted a welfare check at the couple’s home on August 2 after colleagues at her workplace expressed concern. Bhatt initially declined to report his wife missing, telling investigators he didn’t want to do so at the time. He eventually reported her missing on August 5.
Manassas Park Police launched an exhaustive investigation, issuing search warrants and conducting hundreds of interviews. Investigators found a significant lack of contact between Kafle Bhatt and her family, friends, and coworkers, prompting them to elevate her case to critical missing person status.
During the investigation, Bhatt became a person of interest, though he was initially described as cooperative. Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo later revealed that Bhatt had not been cooperating with police, despite earlier statements suggesting otherwise.
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In an interview with WUSA before his arrest, Bhatt expressed concern for his missing wife, saying, “I’m the one who is suffering… She is my baby’s mom. She is my wife.”
Footage from Thursday’s search of the couple’s home shows their infant child being removed from the residence under a yellow blanket. The child is currently under the care of a Department of Social Services-approved caregiver.
Meanwhile, Kafle Bhatt’s family in Nepal is in the process of traveling to the U.S. in hopes of securing emergency custody of her daughter, according to the family’s immigration attorney.
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