Naresh Bhatt trial in Virginia: Friend alleges abuse, financial control in Nepali woman Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance case, mother breaks down in court

A close friend of Mamta Kafle Bhatt testified that her husband, Naresh Bhatt, allegedly hit and controlled her in the months before she disappeared from their Virginia home in July 2024. Mamta’s mother also took the stand, recounting how her daily conversations with her daughter suddenly stopped.A close friend of Mamta Kafle Bhatt told a Virginia court that Naresh Bhatt had physically abused and controlled his wife in the months before she disappeared, as prosecutors presented witness testimony in his murder trial.Sarita Neupane, a friend of Mamta, testified that she had seen her distressed several months before her disappearance and brought her into her home. Mamta subsequently stayed with Neupane for nearly two weeks while experiencing marital difficulties with Naresh, according to testimony reported by local media.Neupane told the court that Naresh had allegedly hit Mamta during an argument over household cleaning, leaving a large bruise on her face. The injury was so visible that Mamta had to reschedule a traditional ceremony marking the couple’s daughter’s first consumption of solid food, the friend testified.The testimony offered jurors a glimpse into the couple’s relationship before Mamta, a nurse and mother of a young child, vanished from their home in Manassas Park, Virginia, in July 2024.Neupane also alleged that Naresh exercised financial and personal control over his wife. According to her testimony, he restricted Mamta’s access to money, shut off her cellphone and would not allow her to drive his car or obtain a vehicle of her own.The friend said she was trying to help Mamta become more independent by assisting her in setting up a bank account and beginning the process of obtaining US citizenship. Mamta was a green card holder.

Mamta’s mother recounts last conversations with daughter

Mamta’s mother, Gita Kafle, also testified, describing how she lost contact with her daughter in July 2024.Kafle told the court that she and Mamta spoke every day, usually in the morning and evening. Those conversations suddenly stopped, prompting her to try reaching her daughter repeatedly.According to her testimony, Kafle also attempted to contact Naresh after she was unable to reach Mamta for several days. When he eventually spoke with her, he said Mamta had gone to stay with friends, Kafle told the court.The account was an emotional part of the proceedings, with Mamta’s mother becoming visibly upset as she recalled the sudden break in their daily contact.Kafle later travelled from Nepal to Northern Virginia to help search for her daughter and seek answers about what had happened.

Mamta disappeared in July 2024

Mamta, a registered nurse who worked at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, was last known to have been in contact with people close to her in late July 2024. She failed to report for her shift on August 1, raising concerns among colleagues.Her supervisor subsequently requested a police welfare check at the couple’s home in Manassas Park on August 2.The disappearance triggered a search involving police, relatives, friends and members of the local Nepali community. Investigators eventually arrested Naresh, who has been accused of killing his wife and concealing and defiling her body.Mamta’s remains have never been recovered.Prosecutors cite blood and DNA evidenceDuring opening statements in the trial, prosecutors alleged that Naresh killed Mamta and dismembered her body before attempting to dispose of evidence.Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew Sweet told jurors that Naresh had given a saw to a landscaper working in the neighbourhood after Mamta disappeared. According to the prosecution, the landscaper later brought the saw to police, and forensic testing found Mamta’s blood and DNA on it.Prosecutors have also pointed to blood evidence recovered from the couple’s home, electronic records, internet searches and surveillance footage as part of their case.They have alleged that video shows Naresh disposing of large, heavy-duty garbage bags in dumpsters and trash compactors in Northern Virginia. Prosecutors believe the bags may have contained Mamta’s remains.The prosecution is seeking to establish what happened despite the absence of a body, relying on forensic findings, digital evidence and witness accounts to build its case.

Defence challenges prosecution’s account

Naresh has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder, concealing a dead body and defiling a dead body. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.His defence attorney, Tracey Lenox, has argued that the prosecution must establish its case through evidence rather than speculation. In opening statements, the defence highlighted what it described as gaps in the evidence and questioned whether prosecutors could prove their allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.The trial is being heard in Prince William County Circuit Court, with testimony expected to continue over the coming weeks.The case has drawn widespread attention, particularly among members of the Nepali community in the United States, as Mamta’s family continues to seek answers about her disappearance.