KATHMANDU: Naresh Bhatta, who faces arraignment for a charge of concealing his wife Mamata Kafle’s body in Manassas Park, United States, has been ordered to stay in police custody with no bond.
This decision comes three days after prosecutors revealed disturbing evidence in court, including signs of pooled blood and missing knives, according to nbcwashington.com.
On Monday, Bhatta was ordered held without bail.
He faced arraignment on Friday for a charge of concealing a dead body.
His wife, 28-year-old Mamata, has been missing for nearly a month and missed their baby daughter’s first birthday.
Bhatta was arrested at their Manassas Park home on Thursday, last week.
Although he is charged with concealing a dead body, Mamata body has not been located.
During Friday’s court session, evidence showed Bhatta was in the process of packing up the home and selling his car, the nbcwashington reported.
Investigators also found signs of blood pooling in the main bedroom and splatter in the bathroom, as well as indications that a body had been dragged.
News4 footage showed large rolled-up carpets being loaded into a police van.
The prosecution highlighted discrepancies in Bhatt’s statements about his wife’s last known whereabouts.
Her cellphone, which was still active on August 1—the day after Bhatt claimed to have last seen her—pinged in Loudoun County, according to the nbcwashington.com report.
Video evidence reportedly shows Bhatt buying cleaning supplies at Walmart and purchasing knives at another Walmart in Prince William County, with two of those knives now missing.
Bhatta’s defense argued for his release, claiming he hadn’t fled and that purchasing cleaning supplies is not incriminating.
They also contested that there was no evidence to confirm the blood was Mamata’s or that she was killed.
Mamata, a nurse, was reported missing after missing work shifts, which was uncharacteristic for her due to her active social media presence and care for her baby.
Friends, who filled the courtroom, were shocked by the gruesome details presented.
After Bhatta’s arrest, the couple’s daughter was taken into the care of the Department of Social Services, while Mamata’s mother was granted an emergency visa to care for the child.
Funds are being raised for her plane ticket.
Prosecutors now suspect Mamata was killed on July 30, with Bhatta allegedly starting to cover his tracks the following day.
Bhatta initially reported his wife missing on August 5, three days after her coworkers requested a welfare check when she didn’t show up for work.
Her disappearance was not officially declared involuntary until August 8.
The investigation’s pace frustrated Mamata’s friends and community, but confidence was restored after the police chief provided assurances about the investigation’s integrity.
According to Manassas Park police, Mamata’s credit cards, bank statements, and phone have shown no activity since her disappearance.
(Inputs from nbcwashington.com)
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