Judge Orders Naresh Bhatt Held Without Bond, Amid Charges Of Hiding Wife’s Body

Photo Source: Mamta Kafle Bhatt/Facebook (Right), Manassas Park Police Department (Left)

MANASSAS PARK, VA — In a tense courtroom on the morning of August 26, a judge ruled that Naresh Bhatt, 37, be held without bond following his arrest last week. The judge cited concerns that Bhatt posed both a flight risk and a danger to the community.

The decision comes in the wake of disturbing revelations surrounding the disappearance of Bhatt’s wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, who has been missing for over three weeks.

Court documents from Bhatt’s August 23 arraignment reveal that police found significant digital and forensic evidence suggesting that Mamta was murdered in their Manassas Park home, and that Bhatt attempted to cover it up.

Manassas Park Police Officer C. Ventura reported evidence of a body being dragged and blood pooling throughout the residence, particularly in the primary bedroom and bathroom. Investigators also discovered that Bhatt had purchased knives from a Walmart on July 30, the day he allegedly killed his wife.

Mamta was last seen at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center on July 27 and spoke to a friend on July 28. Despite her husband’s initial reluctance to report her missing, a welfare check on August 2 raised suspicions when he claimed she was visiting family in Texas or New York. Prosecutors later revealed that Mamta had no family in the U.S.

On August 5, Naresh finally reported his wife missing, and by August 21, police named him a person of interest. He was arrested the next day and charged with concealing a dead body. Although prosecutors have accused Bhatt of murder, he has not yet been formally charged with the crime.

In court, it was revealed that Mamta’s parents, who reside in Nepal, have been granted an emergency visa to take custody of the couple’s one-year-old daughter. Friends of Mamta have also come forward, alleging that she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Bhatt, a former US Army Reserve automated logistics specialist, served from June 2017 to February 2024. Before his arrest, he had sold his Tesla, was attempting to sell his home, and had packed a suitcase, leading investigators to believe he was preparing to flee Virginia.

Despite his claims of suffering over his wife’s disappearance, the evidence against Naresh Bhatt continues to mount. As the case unfolds, the community and Mamta’s loved ones are left grappling with the horrifying details of her tragic fate.