UAPA Section 51-A: UN Al-Qaida Sanctions List Update
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/295 · issued 19 Nov 2012 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI directs banks to update the UN Al-Qaida sanctions list, screen new and existing accounts against it, and freeze assets of designated individuals/entities as per UAPA 1967 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 replace their old Al-Qaida sanctions list with the new one from the UN, received on November 15, 2012.
Before opening any new account, check the customer's name against the updated list to make sure they are not on it.
Check all existing accounts to see if any are linked to people or groups on the list.
If you find a match, freeze the account's money and assets following the rules in paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular.
Your Compliance Officer must say they got this circular.
How it plays out — a real example
A payments & clearing officer in Indore receives this circular and immediately updates the bank's sanctions list with the new UN Al-Qaida names. That afternoon, when a new customer applies for a gold loan, the officer screens the name against the updated list and finds no match, so she proceeds with the loan. She also runs a scan of all existing gold-loan accounts and discovers one account linked to a newly listed entity, so she freezes that account's funds and assets as instructed.
What changed
RBI has circulated a new UN Security Council update to the Al-Qaida Sanctions List, received from the Ministry of External Affairs on November 15, 2012. Banks must replace their previous list with this updated version and ensure compliance with the UAPA Order of August 27, 2009.
What it means for you
Banks must immediately update their internal sanctions screening systems with the revised list and verify all new account openings against it. Existing accounts must be scanned to identify any matches, and if found, funds and assets must be frozen as per the September 17, 2009 circular's paragraph 6. Non-compliance could lead to regulatory action.
What you must do
Update your sanctions list with the latest UN Al-Qaida entries from the November 15, 2012 notification.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
Scan all existing accounts to detect any linked to listed individuals or entities.
Freeze funds and assets of matched accounts following the procedure in paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular.
Ensure your Compliance Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular.
Who it affects
All Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding RRBs), Local Area Banks, All India Financial Institutions
❓ Common questions
What is the source of the updated sanctions list?
The list comes from the UN Security Council's 1267/1989 Committee Al-Qaida Sanctions List, forwarded by the Ministry of External Affairs on November 15, 2012.
What action is required for existing accounts that match the list?
Banks must freeze the funds, financial assets, or economic resources held in such accounts, following the procedure detailed in paragraph 6 of RBI circular DBOD.AML.BC. No. 44/14.01.001/2009-10 dated September 17, 2009.
Where can the full list be accessed?
The complete list is available on the UN website at http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2012-13/295
DBOD.AML.No.7299/14.06.001/2012-13
November 19, 2012
The Chairmen / CEOs of all Scheduled Commercial Banks (Excluding RRBs)/
Local Area Banks / All India Financial Institutions
Dear Sir,
Implementation of Section 51-A of UAPA, 1967-
Updates of the UNSCR 1267(1999) / 1989(2011) Committee's
Al Qaida Sanctions List
Please refer to our circular DBOD. AML No. 6278/14.06.001/2012-13 dated October 25, 2012 on the captioned subject. We have since received from Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, UNP Division, copy of notes dated November 15, 2012, ( copy 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. Banks/All India Financial Institutions 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. Banks are advised to strictly follow the procedure laid down in the UAPA Order dated August 27, 2009 enclosed to our circular DBOD.AML.BC. No. 44/14.01.001/2009-10 dated September 17, 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 September 17, 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.
Yours faithfully,
(S. K. Jha)
General Manager
Encl: as above
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/295 · issued 19 Nov 2012. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
📜 Compliance
Update your sanctions list with the latest UN Al-Qaida entries from the November 15, 2012 notification.
Scan all existing accounts to detect any linked to listed individuals or entities.
Freeze funds and assets of matched accounts following the procedure in paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular.
Ensure your Compliance Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular.
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 Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding RRBs), Local Area Banks, All India Financial Institutions), your first concrete step on “UAPA Section 51-A: UN Al-Qaida Sanctions List Update” is: “Update your sanctions list with the latest UN Al-Qaida entries from the November 15, 2012 notification.” (RBI issued this 19 Nov 2012).
Circular: RBI/2012-13/295 -- UAPA Section 51-A: UN Al-Qaida Sanctions List Update
Issued: 19 Nov 2012
Action required: Update your sanctions list with the latest UN Al-Qaida entries from the November 15, 2012 notification.
Action required: Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
Action required: Scan all existing accounts to detect any linked to listed individuals or entities.
Action required: Freeze funds and assets of matched accounts following the procedure in paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular.
Action required: Ensure your Compliance Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular.
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=7694&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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