A jury is seated and testimony has begun in a Manassas Park murder trial.
Prosecutors began laying out their case against Naresh Bhatt on Wednesday. He is accused of killing and dismembering his wife, Mamta Khafle Bhatt.
Mamta Khafle, 28, was last seen during a July 29, 2024, video call. She was a pediatric nurse and had a 1-year-old daughter. Her body has never been found.
The commonwealth is set to make its case first. Prosecutors have announced 95 witnesses, including the two who testified Wednesday after opening statements, Inside NOVA reported.
The defense will follow with 17 witnesses in the planned seven-week trial. Jury deliberation is set to conclude November 19.
In his opening statement, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney for Prince William County Matthew Sweet outlined four categories of circumstantial evidence that prosecutors will use to prove Bhatt’s guilt.
That evidence will include blood matching Mamta Khafle’s DNA found in the couple’s home and on a saw. Bhatt has been accused of giving that saw to a landscaper following his wife’s disappearance.
Prosecutors have also described a tumultuous marriage and told jurors that Mamta Khafle had spoken with friends about leaving Bhatt.
Defense attorneys argue that the prosecution lacks evidence. They also say witnesses are biased against Bhatt.
Bhatt has been held without bond since his August 2024 arrest. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges related to his wife’s disappearance.
