Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/238 · issued 09 Oct 2012 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI directs all Primary Urban Co-operative Banks to update their records with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida sanctions list. Banks must screen new and existing accounts against this list and freeze assets of designated individuals/entities as per earlier UAPA guidelines.
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
Update your bank's list of bad people (sanctions list) with the newest names from the UN Al-Qaida list.
Check every new customer's name against this list before opening their account.
Check all existing accounts to see if any match the updated list.
If you find a match, freeze that person's money and assets right away, following earlier rules.
Tell your Regional Office that you got this circular by sending a note from your Compliance Officer.
How it plays out — a real example
A co-operative bank branch officer in Indore, Priya, receives this circular and immediately updates her bank's sanctions database with the four new UN notes. She then screens all new loan applicants against the list, and when she finds a match in an existing customer's account, she freezes that account's funds as per the UAPA guidelines, ensuring her bank stays compliant.
What changed
RBI has forwarded four new UN Security Council notes (dated July 5, July 20, July 27, and August 29, 2012) containing updates to the Al-Qaida Sanctions List. UCBs are now required to incorporate these changes into their customer screening processes.
What it means for you
UCBs must immediately update their internal sanctions lists to include the latest UN-designated individuals and entities. This ensures compliance with Section 51-A of UAPA, 1967, and prevents any inadvertent dealings with prohibited parties. Non-compliance could lead to regulatory action.
What you must do
Update your internal sanctions database with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida list from the UN website.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
Scan all existing accounts to identify any matches with the updated list.
Freeze funds and assets of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 7 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your Regional Office through the Compliance/Principal Officer.
Who it affects
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, Compliance Officers and Principal Officers of UCBs
❓ Common questions
What is the source of the updated sanctions list?
The updates come from the UN Security Council's 1267/1989 Committee, forwarded via the Ministry of External Affairs. The full list is available on the UN website at http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml.
What actions are required for existing accounts that match the list?
Banks must freeze the funds, financial assets, or economic resources of any matched individual or entity, following the procedure detailed in paragraph 7 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Who should acknowledge receipt of this circular?
The Compliance Officer or Principal Officer of the UCB must send an acknowledgment to the concerned Regional Office of RBI.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2012-13/238
UBD.BPD (PCB) Cir. No. 17/14.01.062/2012-13
October 09, 2012
The Chief Executive Officer of
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks
Madam/Dear Sir,
Implementation of Section 51-A of UAPA, 1967- Updates of the UNSCR 1267 (1999) /1989 (2011) Sanctions List – Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks
Please refer to our circular UBD.BPD (PCB) Cir. No.11/14.01.062/2012-13 dated September 24, 2012 . We have since received from Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, UNP Division, copies of notes dated July 5, 2012 , July 20, 2012 , July 27, 2012 and August 29, 2012 (copies enclosed) forwarded by the Chairman of UN Security Council's 1267/1989 Committee regarding changes made in the ‘Al-Qaida Sanctions List’, i.e. list of individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida.
2. Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs) are required to update the 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. UCBs 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 7 of the circular dated November 16, 2009, mentioned above.
5. The complete details of the said list are available on the UN website:
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml
6. Compliance Officer/Principal Officer should acknowledge receipt of this circular to the Regional Office concerned.
Yours faithfully,
(Scenta Joy)
Deputy General Manager
Encl: As above
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/238 · issued 09 Oct 2012. 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 your internal sanctions database with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida list from the UN website.
Scan all existing accounts to identify any matches with the updated list.
Freeze funds and assets of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 7 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your Regional Office through the Compliance/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), your first concrete step on “UCBs Must Update UN Al-Qaida Sanctions List” is: “Update your internal sanctions database with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida list from the UN website.” (RBI issued this 09 Oct 2012).
Circular: RBI/2012-13/238 -- UCBs Must Update UN Al-Qaida Sanctions List
Issued: 09 Oct 2012
Action required: Update your internal sanctions database with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida list from the UN website.
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 updated list.
Action required: Freeze funds and assets of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 7 of the November 16, 2009 circular.
Action required: Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your Regional Office through the Compliance/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=7608&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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