Oct 03, Kathmandu - Jury selection is set to begin Monday in the case involving the disappearance of Mamta Kafle Bhatta in Virginia, with proceedings expected to last about seven weeks, local media report.

Prince William County Judge Kimberly Irving has allowed cameras inside the courtroom to record the trial, but has prohibited live broadcasts. Two cameras may record proceedings, and news outlets will be permitted to use the footage. Still photography is also allowed. The judge said the restrictions could be reviewed as the trial progresses. Jury selection will draw from about 300 potential jurors.

Bhatta, then 28 and the mother of a one-year-old daughter, was last seen in late July 2024 at her home in Manassas Park. Her friends became concerned after she stopped going to work, and she was reported missing in August.

Her husband, Naresh Bhatta, was arrested several weeks later. He was initially charged with concealing a body and later faced murder and additional body-related charges. Bhatta’s body has not been found.

Prosecutors are expected to present evidence including blood and other material found in the home’s bedroom and bathroom. Investigators believe Mamta may have died on July 30, 2024. The prosecution also plans to introduce video and digital evidence, including footage allegedly showing Naresh discarding bags in different locations and purchasing cleaning supplies, as well as records of his online searches and phone activity.

Naresh has maintained that he is innocent. His lawyers previously sought more time to prepare and asked to postpone the trial, but Judge Irving denied the request.