Missing Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s husband ‘concealed body’ as cops presume she’s dead – weeks after vanishing

THE husband of a missing mom has been charged with concealing a body as cops enter the third week of their search.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, is presumed dead after she mysteriously vanished weeks ago, according to police .

Facebook/Mamta Kafle Bhatt

NBC4

Mamta was reportedly last seen by her husband on July 31, according to ABC affiliate WJLA-TV .

Her husband, Naresh Bhatt, was charged on Thursday with prohibition against concealment of a dead body by the Manassas Park Police in Virginia – about 30 miles from Washington DC.

This is a felony charge given to “any person who transports, secretes, conceals or alters a dead body,” according to the Library of Congress.

A police timeline shows that Mamta was last seen on July 28 and her last known contact was on July 29.

Naresh told the cops he allegedly last saw his wife on July 31.

Mamta’s employer requested authorities to carry out a welfare check on August 2.

It wasn’t until three days later, on August 5, that Naresh reported his wife missing.

The U.S. Sun previously reported that Naresh was seen in handcuffs on Thursday morning as he was taken from the couple’s home and placed in a police car.

This news comes after a search warrant was used at the couple’s home on Wednesday.

Soon after Naresh’s arrest, the couple’s daughter was seen covered in a blanket as she was taken out of their home.

Police say the little girl is being cared for by Social Services at this moment in time.

Mamta’s mother lives in Nepal and is trying to get an emergency visa to fly to the US and take her granddaughter into custody, her immigration lawyer Bandita Sharma Dhal said.

“Right now her only intention is to come here, grab that baby, hold that baby tight,” Dhal said.

“Request the U.S. embassy in Nepal to expedite [her visa] because that baby needs someone to take care of her,” they urged.

Police have said that additional investigative leads may result in further charges against Mamta’s husband.

The investigation into Mamta’s disappearance is ongoing, according to police.

Authorities “don’t know” if Mamta is alive, Amy Ashworth, Commonwealth ‘s Attorney for Prince William County said.

Timeline of Mamta's disappearance

Manassas Park mom Mamta Kafle Bhatt has been missing since July 31.

July 27 – Mamta was last seen at her job as a pediatric nurse at the UVA Health Prince William Medical Center

July 28 – Mamta spoke to her friend

July 31 – Naresh last saw Mamta

August 2 – Mamta’s co-workers called a welfare check to her house. Police spoke to Naresh, who didn’t want to report her as missing

August 5 – Naresh officially reported Mamta as missing

August 21 – Police searched Mamta and Naresh’s home. Naresh is named as a person of interest as cops said he’s not cooperating with police

August 22 – Naresh was handcuffed and taken into police custody

Manassas Park Police Department Chief Mario Lugo told the ABC affiliate KABC-TV that at this point she is presumed dead.

He explained that Naresh had not been cooperating with the police and had been identified as a person of interest.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday night, Chief Lugo said the department had pursued numerous leads and conducted over 10 search warrants.

Police have also reportedly conducted hundreds of interviews in connection with the case.

Naresh is being held without bond pending his arraignment on Friday morning in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court .

“I feel terrible for the baby and the mother,” neighbor Ivy Freeman said.

She said she feels sick to the stomach about the investigation.

Members of Mamta’s community held a memorial outside her home on Thursday night to pay their respects to the missing mom.

HUSBAND SPEAKS OUT

Naresh told NBC affiliate WRC-TV last week that he was busy taking care of the couple’s daughter.

“The main message, I need my wife, my baby’s mom, back,” he said.

According to Naresh, he chose to wait three days before reporting Mamta’s disappearance because police had told him to first exhaust all other options in the search.

“I’m really tired,” he said.

“Tired, exhausted – physically, mentally, economically. I’m suffering, suffering a lot.”

7News

Facebook/Mamta Kafle Bhatt