India-origin man in US, who allegedly Googled how soon a person can remarry, charged for wife’s murder

Naresh Bhatt, a Manassas Park, Virginia man, has been charged with first-degree murder and defiling a body in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, whose body has not been found. According to court records, Bhatt allegedly conducted internet searches about ‘how long does it take to get married after spouse dies”. The charges were filed on December 2 in Prince William County Circuit Court, escalating the case surrounding the mysterious disappearance of his wife.

According to CNN, a Virginia grand jury has indicted Naresh Bhatt of Manassas Park on charges of murder and defiling a body. He also is facing the charges of concealing a body and is now set to appear in court to face the new charges.

What happened?

The 28-year-old Nepal-based woman, Mamta Kafle Bhatt was a registered nurse and mother of a young daughter. She was last seen on July 27 at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, where she worked. Authorities have presumed her dead since then. After she did not show up for work, it prompted a wellness check by the local police. When the authorities questioned Naresh, he mentioned that he and his wife were in the process of separating.


Meanwhile, in a press conference, Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo revealed that the DNA evidence confirmed blood found in the couple’s home belonged to Kafle Bhatt. According to him, this indicated that she was killed and dismembered and the DNA reports have further strengthened the case, despite the absence of the body.

According to the US media, prosecutors found that Naresh had used his office laptop to search “How long does it take to get married after spouse dies”. He is also accused of buying three knives, with two unaccounted for and from a separate shop, surveillance footage showed him buying cleaning supplies.

Police enquiry

During the initial police enquiry, Bhatt gave very vague explanations about the whereabouts of his wife and refused to report her missing. After a search of the house on August 22, authorities arrested him and has remained in custody after being denied bail in September. US media has reported that the prosecutors presented evidence showing surveillance footage of Bhatt disposing of trash bags in dumpsters and compactors during nighttime hours shortly after his wife’s disappearance.

Bhatt, a former Fairfax County police recruit and U.S. Army Reserve veteran, now faces severe legal consequences as the investigation progresses. Authorities continue to search for Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s body while building what they describe as a strong case against her husband.