UCBs Must Update UN Terrorist Lists for Account Screening
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/280 · issued 31 Dec 2009 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI directs all Primary Urban Co-operative Banks to update their records with the latest UN 1267 Committee list of terrorist individuals/entities linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban, and screen all new and existing accounts against this list.
Sanctions-list safety note. This circular refers to a specific UN Security Council / UAPA designated-entities list update as it stood on the date above — sanctions lists change often, and a newer update almost certainly exists today. Never use this page, or any single dated circular, as your current screening list. Always screen against the live, current list at the official UAPA proscribed-organisations list and the UN Consolidated List, and confirm the obligations for your bank on the official rbi.org.in source below.
The rule, in the simplest words
Banks must update their computer records with the newest UN list of bad people (terrorists linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban).
Before opening any new account, check the customer's name against this list – if it matches, do not open the account.
Check all existing accounts to see if any belong to or are linked to anyone on the list.
If you find a match, freeze (lock) that account's money and assets as told in the government's UAPA Order from August 27, 2009.
Send a confirmation note to your RBI Regional Office that you got this circular.
How it plays out — a real example
Ravi, a compliance officer at a primary urban co-operative bank in Surat, receives this RBI circular. He immediately downloads the updated UN list from the website, updates the bank's screening system, and runs a check on all 5,000 existing accounts. He finds one account matching a listed entity, freezes it, and reports to the RBI Regional Office as instructed.
What changed
RBI has forwarded a new consolidated list of terrorist individuals and entities from the UN Security Council's 1267 Committee, based on a note dated November 17, 2009 from the Chairman, updating the previous list circulated via circular dated December 17, 2009.
What it means for you
Banks must immediately update their internal databases with the revised UN list and ensure no new account is opened for any listed entity. Existing accounts must be scanned to identify and freeze any linked funds or assets as per the UAPA Order of August 27, 2009.
What you must do
Update the consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities from the UN 1267 Committee website and your RBI circular.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
Scan all existing accounts to identify any matches with the list and take action as per UAPA Order.
Freeze funds, financial assets, or economic resources of designated individuals/entities as detailed in paragraph 6 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your respective Regional Office.
Who it affects
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, Compliance Officers / Principal Officers of UCBs
❓ Common questions
Where can I find the latest consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities?
The complete list is available on the UN website at http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/consolist.shtml, as mentioned in the circular.
What action is required for existing accounts that match the list?
Banks must freeze the funds, financial assets, or economic resources of such accounts, following the procedure in paragraph 6 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Do I need to report compliance to RBI?
Yes, the Compliance Officer or Principal Officer must acknowledge receipt of this circular to the concerned Regional Office of RBI.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2009-10/280
UBD (PCB) CO.BPD. Cir. No. 40 /14.01.062/2009-10
December 31, 2009
The Chief Executive Officers of
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks
Dear Sir / Madam,
List of Terrorist individuals / organizations – under UNSCR 1267 (1999) and 1822(2008) on Taliban / Al-Qaida organisation
Please refer to our circular UBD (PCB) CO.BPD. Cir. No.32 / 14.01.062 / 2009-10 dated December 17, 2009 on the above subject. We have since received from Government of India (Ministry of External Affairs) copy of note dated November 17, 2009 from the Chairman of UN Security Council's 1267 Committee regarding changes made in the Consolidated List of Individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban (copy enclosed).
2. Banks/Financial Institutions are required to update the consolidated list of individuals/entities as circulated by Reserve Bank and before opening any new account, it should be ensured that the name/s of the proposed customer does not appear in the list. Further, banks should scan all existing accounts to ensure that no account is held by or linked to any of the entities or individuals included in the list.
3 . Banks are advised to strictly follow the procedure laid down in the UAPA Order dated August 27, 2009 enclosed to our circular UBD.CO.BPD.PCB.Cir.No.21/12.05.001/2009-10 dated November 16, 2009 and ensure meticulous compliance to the Order issued by the Government.
4. As far as freezing of funds, financial assets or economic resources or related services held in the form of bank accounts of the designated individuals/entities are concerned, action should be taken as detailed in paragraph 6 of the circular dated November 16, 2009, mentioned above.
5. The complete details of the said consolidated list are available on the UN website:
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/consolist.shtml
6. The Compliance Officer / Principal Officer of the bank should acknowledge receipt of this circular to our Regional Office concerned.
Yours faithfully
(Monisha Chakraborty)
Deputy General Manager
Encl: As above.
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/280 · issued 31 Dec 2009. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
📜 Compliance
Update the consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities from the UN 1267 Committee website and your RBI circular.
Scan all existing accounts to identify any matches with the list and take action as per UAPA Order.
Freeze funds, financial assets, or economic resources of designated individuals/entities as detailed in paragraph 6 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your respective Regional Office.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, Compliance Officers / Principal Officers of UCBs), your first concrete step on “UCBs Must Update UN Terrorist Lists for Account Screening” is: “Update the consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities from the UN 1267 Committee website and your RBI circular.” (RBI issued this 31 Dec 2009).
Circular: RBI/2009-10/280 -- UCBs Must Update UN Terrorist Lists for Account Screening
Issued: 31 Dec 2009
Action required: Update the consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities from the UN 1267 Committee website and your RBI circular.
Action required: Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
Action required: Scan all existing accounts to identify any matches with the list and take action as per UAPA Order.
Action required: Freeze funds, financial assets, or economic resources of designated individuals/entities as detailed in paragraph 6 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Action required: Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your respective Regional Office.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=5443&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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