The husband of a 28-year-old Virginia mother missing for nearly three weeks was handcuffed and led away by police late Thursday morning.
Naresh Bhatt has been a person of interest in the disappearance of his wife Mamta Kafle Bhatt, who was last seen at the family home in Manassas Park on July 31.
His arrest came after police executed a search warrant at his home. It was not immediately clear what charges police have filed against Bhatt.
Shocking new details have revealed that the pediatric nurse was planning to divorce her husband.
She told the group that her husband had withdrawn all their money from their joint bank account and sought advice from a social worker about custody of their 11-month-old daughter.
Mamta Kafle was last seen at her home in Manassas Park on July 31. When the pediatric nurse didn’t show up for work on Aug. 2, a co-worker alerted police to conduct a welfare check.
Matma’s husband, Naresh Bhatt, was named a person of interest in the case and had not been cooperating with the investigation, police said.
In February, Mamta posted on the Facebook group ‘Separated, Divorced and Single Mothers of Virginia, Maryland and DC’ that she has a 6-month-old baby and is in the process of separating.
“I work two days a week and my husband doesn’t help me take care of the baby. He says that if I leave the baby with him, he will send him into custody. Is this possible? I need help taking care of the child,” she said.
‘I need help from a social worker and I need some advice.’
Robin Kuppusamy, a friend of the missing mother, shared a post on August 12 expressing her concern for her friend.
“Several women and I have been talking to her in our Facebook divorce separation group to find her help since she left her husband until she disappeared from the radar,” Kuppsamy wrote.
She added that she “would never have left her daughter behind.”
Mamta also shared that she and her husband were still living together, but she had no money anymore. She wrote, in part, “I also have no money now, he withdrew all the money from the joint account.”
Mamta, a pediatric nurse, did not show up for work on August 2 and a co-worker alerted police to conduct a welfare check.
At the time, Bhatt told police his wife was not missing, but on Aug. 5, six days after she disappeared, he filed a missing person report.
He told police he didn’t do it earlier because he was following their instructions.
The couple in front of their home in Virginia when Mamta was pregnant
In February, Mamta posted to the Facebook group Separated, Divorced, Single Moms of Virginia, Maryland and DC about her need for counseling from a social worker.
He asked one of the women at the post office that she had no money because she withdrew it all from a joint account.
Manassas Park City Police Chief Mario Lugo said at a news conference Wednesday that there are a few people of interest in the case, including Bhatt. He added that he is “not cooperating with them in their investigation.”
Earlier in the day, a search warrant was executed at the family home. During the press conference, Lugo confirmed that Mamta’s husband was not cooperating with the investigation. Fox5 CC reported.
Matma, who is of Napalese descent, has no relatives living in the United States, friends said.
Since she disappeared, the police chief said he and his team have been actively searching for the young mother and following all leads.
So far, he said, more than 100 clues have been found and more than 10 search warrants have been executed. Forensic services are also involved.
He explained that detectives have also been in contact with the Nepalese community.
Naresh Bhatt was arrested in handcuffs by police on Thursday morning.
Matma pictured with her little daughter before her disappearance almost three weeks ago
On August 14, Bhatt was present during an unscheduled press conference with community leaders and concerned neighbors held outside the police department.
At the time, he expressed his gratitude to the community for their help. He said, “I need your help in a positive way. Thank you for doing what you’re doing, keep doing what you’re doing during this difficult time.”
He too He told the outlet that his wife’s disappearance has taken a toll on him and his 11-month-old daughter.
“I’m very tired. Tired, exhausted, physically, mentally and financially. I’m suffering,” he told the outlet. “I’m suffering a lot.”
On Wednesday, police searched his home in Virginia.
Officers are seen searching the contents of the home and are at the back of the house.
That same day, nearly a dozen volunteers searched the trail at Blooms Park, where Matma often went with her young daughter.
Her husband was reported not to have participated.
Sammy Choudhary, a friend and neighbor of the missing woman who helped organize the search, became emotional as he spoke to Fox5 DC.
“If something were to happen to her, I want justice to be done. I don’t think anyone should have to go through this. There is a missing person.”
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