A 75-year-old Indian-origin diamond merchant, Dhiru Ramani, was recently released after his family paid a ransom of €4 million, approximately Rs 44 crore. Ramani was kidnapped in the West African country of Mali in April this year. The diamond merchant had been living in Mali after recently acquiring a gold mine.
The kidnappers had demanded Rs 100 crore for his release. However, his family, which is based in the United States, negotiated the amount down to Rs 44 crore. The ransom was reportedly paid last week, after which Ramani was released. According to media reports, his family handled the negotiations independently, and no Indian government agency was involved in the process.
Ramani remains in Mali
Although Ramani has been released, he is still in Mali. Local authorities are reportedly questioning him about the circumstances surrounding his kidnapping, the negotiations and his eventual release.
It is unclear when Ramani will be permitted to leave the country or whether the Malian authorities have identified those responsible for his abduction.
Who is Dhiru Ramani?
Ramani originally hails from Dhar village in Gujarat’s Amreli district and has long-standing links with Surat’s diamond industry. He entered the diamond business around 1980 before later moving to the United States.
His family currently operates an international diamond trading business. Ramani had expanded his business interests into gold mining and had been staying in Mali after investing in a mine there.
The Indian Embassy had issued an advisory
Around the time of Ramani’s reported kidnapping, the Indian Embassy in Bamako issued a general security advisory for Indian nationals residing in Mali.
🎤 Attention:
— India in Mali (@IndianEmbassyML) April 25, 2026
All Indian nationals in Mali are requested to take note of the latest advisory issued by the Embassy of India, Bamako enclosed below: 👇@MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @diaspora_india pic.twitter.com/uYTc62vSA0
The advisory, dated 25th April, cited recent security developments and reported attacks in Kati and other parts of the country. Indian nationals were asked to remain highly vigilant, exercise utmost caution, stay indoors and follow instructions issued by Malian authorities.
However, the embassy’s advisory did not name Ramani or refer to any specific kidnapping incident.
