Court MinutesMamta Kafle's mother tells jury she came to look for her missing daughter; sergeant says Bhatt gave July 31 as last contact
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Video: Court TV · Published 6:45 PM ET
Today in five bullets · Commonwealth v. Bhatt · Day 4 · Oct 8
- Gita testified that the defendant's voice mail said Mamta had gone to work and had not been back for three days. 0:32:25
- The detective said the defendant told of Mamta cooking dinner on Wednesday, and that he didn't worry when told she missed work. 0:06:22
- The detective recalled the defendant describing one incident in Fairfax when a plate hit Mamta on the head, and no other physical altercations. 0:03:30
- The sergeant testified that the defendant described the last thing Mamta was seen wearing as blue scrubs, and that was entered in the form's miscellaneous box. 0:36:42
- Asked whether Bhatt ever said he hit Mamta, Sunita testified yes, and said he told her he was trying to protect himself and that is how she was injured. 0:40:37
The Case
Charged: First-degree murder; concealing a dead body; defiling a dead body.
What happened: Mamta Kafle Bhatt has been missing, and her body has never been found. Her husband, Naresh Bhatt, is charged in her death. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The state says: Bhatt killed his wife, dismembered her body and threw the remains away in trash bins in Manassas Park and Fairfax, and his Google searches beforehand show premeditation.
The defense says: there is a "black hole" in the evidence the prosecution cannot fill, and most of the forensic work speaks to hiding a body, not to a premeditated killing.
Where it stands: prosecution's case · scheduled through Nov 19.
Judge Kimberly A. Irving · Defense: Tracey Lenox
Updated Day 10
What's next
The prosecutor paused the detective's second body-camera video, from Aug. 9, 2024, at 39 minutes and 13 seconds; the jury was told it would not see the entire video that day. 0:09:13 0:09:26
Mamta Kafle's mother
Gita Kafle, Mamta Kafle's mother, testified through an interpreter that she came to the United States because her daughter went missing and she was there to look for her. 0:04:51 She identified Naresh Bhatt in the courtroom as the man her daughter married. 0:14:17
She testified that a voice mail from the defendant said Mamta had gone to work and had not been back for three days. 0:32:25
A family friend
Sunita Neupane, a registered nurse, testified that she met Naresh Bhatt through her husband before becoming friends with Mamta. 0:01:07 Asked whether Bhatt ever said he hit Mamta, she testified he told her he was trying to protect himself and that is how Mamta was injured. 0:40:37
The missing-person report
A police sergeant who took the missing-person report identified the form he, another officer and the defendant filled out, and the judge received it without objection. 0:32:18 He testified the form listed July 31, 2024, as the last date the defendant said he had contact with his wife. 0:34:46
The sergeant testified that the defendant described the last thing Mamta was seen wearing as blue scrubs 0:36:42, and that the defendant signed the form and gave a photograph of Mamta for a national database. 0:39:12
He testified that the hospitals and jails checked had no information on Mamta. 0:57:53 In his body-camera video, he said patrol had 24 hours to find a missing person and that, since she had not been found by the end of his shift, the case would go to investigators 0:47:35; he also said a missing adult alone did not allow patrol to ping phones or track credit cards. 0:50:00
The detective's interviews with Bhatt
A detective testified she went back to interview the defendant to follow up on anything she missed and to ask in more detail about the relationship. 0:00:21 She described his demeanor in both interviews as the same and said he wasn't affected. 0:00:54
She testified the defendant said Mamta cooked dinner on that Wednesday and that he didn't worry when he learned she missed work. 0:06:22 She recalled him describing one incident in Fairfax when a plate hit Mamta on the head, and no other physical altercations. 0:03:30 She also testified he said he was stressed because he could not work without a sitter 0:01:26, and that paperwork he later provided showed no activity in his Navy Federal account. 0:05:36
The jury then saw part of a second body-camera video, from Aug. 9, 2024. 0:09:13 In the recording, Bhatt said he and his wife sometimes threatened divorce during arguments but it was never an option 0:20:12, described their bank accounts 0:35:04 and phone lines 0:41:18, and said they exchanged very few text messages. 0:45:45
All 24 Moments
| Position in the clip | Moment |
|---|---|
| 0:04:51 | Gita testified that she came to the United States because her daughter went missing and she was there to look for her. Direct (state) 0:04:51 into Court TV · Day 4 · victim's mother's testimony (edited clip) |
| 0:14:17 | Gita identified Naresh Bhatt in the courtroom as the man her daughter married, and described him as wearing a gray suit. Direct (state) 0:14:17 into Court TV · Day 4 · victim's mother's testimony (edited clip) |
| 0:32:25 | Gita testified that the defendant's voice mail said Mamta had gone to work and had not been back for three days. Direct (state) 0:32:25 into Court TV · Day 4 · victim's mother's testimony (edited clip) |
| 0:01:07 | Sunita testified she is a registered nurse and said she met Naresh Bhatt through her husband in late 2018 before becoming friends with Mamta Kafle. Direct (state) 0:01:07 into Court TV · Day 4 · family friend's testimony (edited clip) |
| 0:40:37 | Asked whether Bhatt ever said he hit Mamta, Sunita testified yes, and said he told her he was trying to protect himself and that is how she was injured. Direct (state) 0:40:37 into Court TV · Day 4 · family friend's testimony (edited clip) |
| 0:32:18 | The sergeant identified the three-page missing report form he, another officer and the defendant filled out; the judge received it without objection. Direct (state) 0:32:18 into Court TV · Day 4 · police sergeant's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:34:46 | The sergeant testified that the date of last contact on the form, 07/31/2024, was the last date the defendant said he had contact with his wife. Direct (state) 0:34:46 into Court TV · Day 4 · police sergeant's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:36:42 | The sergeant testified that the defendant described the last thing Mamta was seen wearing as blue scrubs, and that was entered in the form's miscellaneous box. Direct (state) 0:36:42 into Court TV · Day 4 · police sergeant's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:39:12 | The sergeant testified that the defendant signed the form and gave a photograph of Mamta to be entered in a national database and used to locate her. Direct (state) 0:39:12 into Court TV · Day 4 · police sergeant's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:47:35 | In his body-camera video, the sergeant said patrol had 24 hours to find a missing person and, since she was not found, the case would go to investigators. Other 0:47:35 into Court TV · Day 4 · police sergeant's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:50:00 | In his body-camera video, the sergeant said a missing adult alone did not allow patrol to ping phones or track credit cards without added concerns. Other 0:50:00 into Court TV · Day 4 · police sergeant's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:57:53 | The sergeant testified that the hospitals and jails checked turned up no information on Mamta. Direct (state) 0:57:53 into Court TV · Day 4 · police sergeant's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:00:21 | The detective told the jury a follow-up interview was done to cover anything missed and to ask in more detail about the relationship. Direct (state) 0:00:21 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:00:54 | The detective described the defendant's demeanor in both interviews as the same and said he wasn't affected. Direct (state) 0:00:54 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:01:26 | The detective testified the defendant said he was stressed because he could not work without a sitter, and recalled nothing more about his stress. Direct (state) 0:01:26 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:03:30 | The detective recalled the defendant describing one incident in Fairfax when a plate hit Mamta on the head, and no other physical altercations. Direct (state) 0:03:30 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:05:36 | The detective testified that paperwork the defendant later provided showed no activity in his Navy Federal account. Direct (state) 0:05:36 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:06:22 | The detective said the defendant told of Mamta cooking dinner on Wednesday, and that he didn't worry when told she missed work. Direct (state) 0:06:22 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:09:13 | The prosecutor told the judge the Commonwealth would play a second body-worn camera video dated 08/09/2024, which runs an hour and thirty-eight minutes. Other 0:09:13 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:09:26 | The prosecutor told the court the jury would not see the entire video that day, and Judge Irving said to go ahead. Other 0:09:26 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:20:12 | In the recording, Bhatt said that he and his wife sometimes threatened divorce during arguments but that it was never actually an option. Other 0:20:12 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:35:04 | In the recording, Bhatt described separate and joint bank accounts and said the joint Wells Fargo checking account had been closed. Other 0:35:04 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:41:18 | In the recording, Bhatt described the family's phone lines and said his wife also had other phones she used for TikTok. Other 0:41:18 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
| 0:45:45 | In the recording, Bhatt said he usually called rather than texted, and that he and his wife exchanged very few text messages. Other 0:45:45 into Court TV · Day 4 · detective's testimony and bodycam (edited clip) |
Times are positions in the Court TV clip; no time in court was published. Each opens the clip at that moment.
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