Indian-Origin Diamond Merchant Kidnapped In Mali, Freed After Family Pays Rs 44 Crore Ransom

Published 27 July 2026 · india

Indian-Origin Diamond Merchant Kidnapped In Mali, Freed After Family Pays Rs 44 Crore Ransom Published By, Last Updated: July 27, 2026, 13:34 IST Dhiru Ramani

Indian-Origin Diamond Merchant Kidnapped In Mali, Freed After Family Pays Rs 44 Crore Ransom Published By, Last Updated: July 27, 2026, 13:34 IST Dhiru Ramani, a native of Dhar village in Gujarat's Amreli district, entered the diamond business around 1980 before eventually relocating to the United States. The report said Dhiru Ramani's family handled the negotiations independently with no involvement from any Indian government agency. RA 75-year-old India-origin diamond merchant who was allegedly kidnapped in the West African nation of Mali was released after his family paid a ransom of €4 million (around ₹44 crore), PTI reported citing sources in the know. The businessman, Dhiru Ramani, was abducted in April while he was living in Mali, where he had recently acquired a gold mine.

Originally from Gujarat’s Amreli district, Dhiru Ramani has long been associated with Surat’s diamond trade before moving to the United States, where his family is involved in the international diamond business. According to PTI, the kidnappers had initially demanded nearly Rs 100 crore for Dhiru Ramani’s release. However, his US-based family negotiated the amount down before securing his freedom last week by allegedly paying €4 million. Despite his release, Dhiru Ramani remains in Mali, where local authorities are questioning him about the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping and his release. “He has been released, but he is still in Mali. The local police are questioning him about his release and the circumstances surrounding it," a source told PTI.

The report said Dhiru Ramani’s family handled the negotiations independently with no involvement from any Indian government agency. Dhiru Ramani, a native of Dhar village in Gujarat’s Amreli district, entered the diamond business around 1980 before eventually relocating to the United States. He had recently expanded his business interests by acquiring a gold mine in Mali, where he had been living for some time before the alleged abduction. Around the time of the reported kidnapping in April, the Indian Embassy in Bamako had issued a security advisory asking Indian nationals in Mali to remain highly vigilant following deteriorating security conditions and reported attacks in parts of the country. The advisory did not mention Ramani or any specific kidnapping incident.

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