Investigation into Mamta Kafle Bhatt's disappearance leads to search in Loudoun County

ALDIE, Va. — It's been more than two months since anyone has heard from or seen Mamta Kafle Bhatt. 

The 28-year-old mother and nurse from Manassas Park, was reported missing by her husband, Naresh Bhatt, on Aug. 5. However police say she is believed to have last been seen or heard from, by anyone other than him on July 28.

Naresh Bhatt was arrested on Aug. 22 and has been held on no bond ever since. A judge ruled that there was “overwhelming evidence” to consider Naresh Bhatt a flight risk and danger to the community.

Naresh Bhatt was scheduled to appear in court for a motion hearing on Thursday, but it was pushed to November.  That motion called for the court to "quash the arrest warrant". 

On Oct. 4, WUSA9 spoke to Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo about Naresh Bhatt's attorney's efforts to get the arrest warrant thrown out.

"There's more evidence to this case. The nature of how this body was removed from the house is what the defense is really pushing us on right now. But, that's just one piece of evidence. There's more to this case than that," said Lugo.

He told WUSA9 that since the start of this investigation, they've executed dozens of search warrants, and conducted more than 10 searches in connection to the missing Mom.

"Searches, we've done over 10. We've done grid searches, searches with K9s.," said Lugo. "In terms of search warrants and subpoenas, I think we're pushing probably 30 that we have submitted and received information on."

He explained that the search warrants were for a number of things, including the couple's Manassas Park home.

On Friday night, Chief Lugo confirmed to WUSA9 that there was another search conducted this week, in Loudoun County. He told WUSA9 that on Wednesday investigators searched near Tall Cedars Pkwy. and Northstar Blvd. in Aldie, Virginia.

Chief Lugo says they did not find anything.

As WUSA9 has previously reported, prosecutors have said that the last time Mamta Kafle Bhatt's cell phone made a connection to a cell tower in Loudoun County, near Aldie.

Naresh Bhatt allegedly told investigators he was at a cafe in that area, around the same time when the phone pinged.

His trial date is set for Dec. 9.