UAPA Section 51-A: Update Al-Qaida Sanctions List for RRBs & Co-op Banks
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/307 · issued 26 Nov 2012 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI directs RRBs and co-op banks to update their UNSCR 1267 Al-Qaida sanctions list with new entries from November 15, 2012. Banks must screen new and existing accounts against this list and freeze assets of designated individuals/entities as per earlier UAPA orders.
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 internal sanctions list with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida entries.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
Run a one-time scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the revised list.
Freeze funds and economic resources of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of earlier RBI circulars.
How it plays out — a real example
Rajesh, a compliance officer at a Regional Rural Bank in Indore, ensures that all new account applications are screened against the updated Al-Qaida sanctions list before onboarding. He also runs a one-time scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the revised list and freezes funds and economic resources of any matched individuals/entities as per RBI circulars.
What changed
RBI has forwarded a fresh UN Security Council update to the Al-Qaida Sanctions List, received via the Ministry of External Affairs on November 15, 2012. This supersedes the previous list circulated on October 29, 2012. Banks must now use this updated list for all customer screening and account monitoring.
What it means for you
RRBs and co-op banks must immediately incorporate the revised UN sanctions list into their AML/KYC checks. Failure to identify or freeze accounts linked to newly added names could lead to regulatory action. This reinforces the government's zero-tolerance stance on terror financing under UAPA, 1967.
What you must do
Update your internal sanctions list with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida entries from November 15, 2012.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
Run a one-time scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the revised list.
Freeze funds and economic resources of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of earlier RBI circulars.
Have your Compliance Officer acknowledge receipt of this circular to the concerned RBI Regional Office.
Who it affects
Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), State Co-operative Banks, Central Co-operative Banks, Compliance Officers / Principal Officers of these banks
❓ Common questions
What is the source of the updated sanctions list?
The list comes from the UN Security Council's 1267/1989 Committee, forwarded by the Ministry of External Affairs via a note dated November 15, 2012. The full list is available on the UN website.
Do we need to check only new accounts or also existing ones?
Both. You must screen all new accounts before opening, and also scan all existing accounts to ensure none are linked to any individual or entity on the updated list.
What action is required if we find a match?
You must freeze the funds, financial assets, or economic resources held in the account, following the procedure detailed in paragraph 6 of the earlier RBI circulars referenced in this notification.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2012-13/307
RPCD.CO.RRB.RCB.AML.No. 5430/07.02.12/2012-13
November 26, 2012
The Chairmen / CEOs of all Regional Rural Banks /
State and Central Co-operative Banks
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 RPCD.CO.RRB.RCB.AML.No.4497/07.02.12/2012-13 dated October 29, 2012 on the captioned subject. We have since received from Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, UNP Division, copy of note 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 RPCD.CO.RRB.No.39/03.05.33 (E)/2009-10 dated November 05, 2009 and RPCD.CO.RF.AML. BC. No. 34/07.40.00/ 2009-10 dated October 29, 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 circulars mentioned in paragraph 3 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 letter to our concerned Regional Office.
Yours faithfully,
( C.D. Srinivasan )
Chief General Manager
Encl: As above
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/307 · issued 26 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 internal sanctions list with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida entries from November 15, 2012.
Run a one-time scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the revised list.
Freeze funds and economic resources of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of earlier RBI circulars.
Have your Compliance Officer acknowledge receipt of this circular to the concerned RBI 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 (Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), State Co-operative Banks, Central Co-operative Banks, Compliance Officers / Principal Officers of these banks), your first concrete step on “UAPA Section 51-A: Update Al-Qaida Sanctions List for RRBs & Co-op Banks” is: “Update your internal sanctions list with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida entries from November 15, 2012.” (RBI issued this 26 Nov 2012).
Circular: RBI/2012-13/307 -- UAPA Section 51-A: Update Al-Qaida Sanctions List for RRBs & Co-op Banks
Issued: 26 Nov 2012
Action required: Update your internal sanctions list with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida entries from November 15, 2012.
Action required: Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
Action required: Run a one-time scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the revised list.
Action required: Freeze funds and economic resources of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of earlier RBI circulars.
Action required: Have your Compliance Officer acknowledge receipt of this circular to the concerned RBI 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=7716&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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