UCBs Must Update UN Terrorist List for Account Screening
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/467 · issued 14 May 2010 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI directs all Primary Urban Co-operative Banks to update the UN 1267 Committee's consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities. Banks must screen new and existing accounts against this list and freeze assets of designated entities as per earlier UAPA Order procedures.
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 list of bad people (terrorists) using the new UN list from May 11, 2010.
Before opening a new account, check the customer's name against the updated list to make sure they are not a terrorist.
Check all existing accounts to see if any match the updated list.
If an account matches a terrorist on the list, freeze (stop all use of) the money and assets in that account.
The bank's compliance officer (person in charge of following rules) must tell the RBI regional office that they got this circular.
How it plays out — a real example
A co-operative bank branch officer in Indore, Priya, receives the updated UN terrorist list from her compliance team. Before approving a new gold loan for a customer, she screens the customer's name against the list and finds no match, so she proceeds. Later, she runs a scan of all existing loan accounts and discovers one account linked to a newly listed entity; she immediately freezes that account's funds and reports it to her principal officer.
What changed
RBI has forwarded a May 11, 2010 note from the UN Security Council's 1267 Committee with changes to the consolidated list of individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban. This updates the previous list circulated via circular dated May 12, 2010.
What it means for you
Urban Co-operative Banks must immediately incorporate the revised UN list into their customer screening processes. Failure to identify and freeze accounts of listed entities could lead to regulatory action and reputational risk. Banks must also ensure strict compliance with the UAPA Order of August 27, 2009, including freezing of funds and economic resources.
What you must do
Update your internal UNSCR 1267 consolidated list with the latest changes from the May 11, 2010 UN Committee note.
Screen all new account openings against the updated list before onboarding customers.
Scan all existing accounts to identify any matches with the revised list and report findings.
Freeze funds, financial assets, or economic resources of any matched accounts as per paragraph 6 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your respective RBI Regional Office through the Compliance Officer or Principal Officer.
Who it affects
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, Compliance Officers and Principal Officers of UCBs, Branch managers handling account opening and KYC
❓ Common questions
Where can we find the complete updated consolidated list?
The full list is available on the UN website at http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/consolist.shtml. Banks should refer to this source for the most current version.
What action is required if we find an existing account linked to a listed entity?
You must immediately freeze the funds, financial assets, or economic resources held in that account, following the procedure detailed in paragraph 6 of RBI circular dated November 16, 2009.
Is this circular applicable only to Urban Co-operative Banks?
Yes, this specific circular is addressed to all Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks. Other bank categories may have separate instructions.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2009-10/467
UBD. BPD. (PCB).Cir. No. 67/14.01.062/2009-10
May 14, 2010
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 - UCBs
Please refer to our circular UBD (PCB) CO.BPD. Cir. No. 66/14.01.062/2009-10 dated May 12, 2010 on the above subject. We have since received from Government of India (Ministry of External Affairs), copy of note dated May 11, 2010 (copy enclosed) 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.
2. Urban Cooperative Banks 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
(M. Nanda Kumar)
Deputy General Manager
Encl: As above.
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/467 · issued 14 May 2010. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Screen all new account openings against the updated list before onboarding customers.
📜 Compliance
Update your internal UNSCR 1267 consolidated list with the latest changes from the May 11, 2010 UN Committee note.
Scan all existing accounts to identify any matches with the revised list and report findings.
Freeze funds, financial assets, or economic resources of any matched accounts as per paragraph 6 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your respective RBI Regional Office through the Compliance Officer or Principal Officer.
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 and Principal Officers of UCBs, Branch managers handling account opening and KYC), your first concrete step on “UCBs Must Update UN Terrorist List for Account Screening” is: “Update your internal UNSCR 1267 consolidated list with the latest changes from the May 11, 2010 UN Committee note.” (RBI issued this 14 May 2010).
Circular: RBI/2009-10/467 -- UCBs Must Update UN Terrorist List for Account Screening
Issued: 14 May 2010
Action required: Update your internal UNSCR 1267 consolidated list with the latest changes from the May 11, 2010 UN Committee note.
Action required: Screen all new account openings against the updated list before onboarding customers.
Action required: Scan all existing accounts to identify any matches with the revised list and report findings.
Action required: Freeze funds, financial assets, or economic resources of any matched accounts as per paragraph 6 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Action required: Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your respective RBI Regional Office through the Compliance Officer or Principal Officer.
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=5679&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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