Indian-origin man arrested in US after wife vanishes, accused of concealing body

A 37-year-old Indian-origin man was arrested in Virginia, United States, for the alleged concealment of his wife’s body, more than three weeks after she vanished.

Naresh Bhatt, who has not been formally charged with murder, was taken into custody on Thursday after police executed a search warrant at the couple’s home. Bhatt is facing a felony charge of prohibition against concealment of a body in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28.

CNN reported that detectives found blood splatter in the master bedroom leading to the bathroom’s bathtub, though the DNA has not yet been tested. Investigators also discovered that Bhatt had purchased knives from a Walmart on July 30, the day he allegedly killed his wife.

According to police, Bhatt last saw his wife on July 31 but did not report her missing until August 5, after authorities began investigating her disappearance.

“On or about July 30, 2024, the accused Naresh Bhatt murdered his wife, Mamta Bhatt. The incident occurred at their residence in the city of Manassas Park,” a police incident report stated.

Bhatt allegedly told police that Mamta had gone to visit relatives in New York or Texas and had destroyed her phone before leaving. However, investigators found no evidence of relatives in either state and revealed that her phone continued receiving data between July 29 and August 1, when it eventually died.

Evidence also suggested that Mamta’s body had been inside the residence before being “dragged” out of the house.

“During the course of this investigation, a substantial amount of digital and forensic evidence consistent with her death was recovered,” prosecutors said in court on Friday.

The couple had been married for over three years and had a 1-year-old daughter, who is currently in the care of social services following Bhatt’s arrest. Mamta’s parents, who live in Nepal, were granted an emergency visa to the US to take custody of their granddaughter.

In interviews with news outlets before his arrest, Bhatt expressed concern over his wife’s disappearance. "I’m the one who is suffering," he told WUSA9. "She is my baby’s mom. She is my wife. I’m the one suffering, so I don’t know what I’m supposed to say."

Bhatt, a former US Army Reserve automated logistics specialist, served from June 2017 to February 2024. Investigators believe he was preparing to flee Virginia, as they found a packed suitcase and missing clothes. He had also recently sold his Tesla and was attempting to sell his home.