UCBs Must Update Al-Qaida Sanctions List for UAPA Compliance
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/238 · issued 10 Sep 2013 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI directs all Primary Urban Co-operative Banks to immediately update their records with the 20th and 21st update notes to the UN Al-Qaida sanctions list. Banks must screen new and existing accounts against this list and follow UAPA freezing 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 linked to Al-Qaida using the 20th and 21st update notes from the UN.
Before opening a new account, check if the customer's name is on the updated list.
Check all existing accounts to see if any belong to people or groups on the list.
If you find a match, freeze the account following the rules from RBI's 2009 circular.
The Compliance Officer 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 RBI circular. She immediately updates her bank's sanctions list with the 20th and 21st UN Al-Qaida updates. Then, she screens all new loan applications and existing gold-loan accounts against the list, ensuring no customer is linked to a designated individual or entity.
What changed
RBI has issued a circular forwarding the 20th and 21st update notes from the UN Security Council's 1267/1989 Committee, which amend the Al-Qaida Sanctions List. These updates add or modify individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida, requiring UCBs to incorporate the latest changes into their compliance checks.
What it means for you
UCBs must now ensure their customer screening databases reflect the latest UN sanctions list updates. Failure to identify and freeze accounts of designated individuals or entities could lead to regulatory action. This reinforces the government's commitment to combating terrorism financing under UAPA, 1967.
What you must do
Update your internal sanctions list with the 20th and 21st UN Al-Qaida updates immediately.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
Conduct a fresh scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the updated list.
Follow the freezing procedures outlined in paragraph 7 of RBI's November 16, 2009 circular for any matched accounts.
Ensure your Compliance Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular to the respective RBI Regional Office.
Who it affects
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs), Compliance Officers of UCBs, Branch managers handling account opening and monitoring
❓ Common questions
Where can we access the latest UN Al-Qaida sanctions list updates?
The updates are available on the UN website at the URLs provided in the circular: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2013/sc11089.doc.htm, http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/sc11099.doc.htm, and http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/sc11104.doc.htm for the 20th and 21st updates, and the full list at http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2013-14/238
UBD.BPD (PCB) Cir. No.12/14.01.062/2013-14
September 10, 2013
The Chief Executive Officer
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) Committee’s Al-Qaida Sanctions List - Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs)
Please refer to our circular UBD.BPD.(PCB). Cir. No. 6/14.01.062/2013-14 dated August 28, 2013 on the captioned subject releasing nineteenth update (copy enclosed). We have since received from UNP Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, a copy each of twentieth update note dated August 19, 2013 and twenty-first update note dated August 26, 2013 (copies enclosed) forwarded by the Chairman of UN Security Council's 1267/1989 Committee regarding amendments made in the “Al-Qaida Sanctions List”, i.e. list of individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida. The copies of the updates are available on UN website at the following url:
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2013/sc11089.doc.htm
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/sc11099.doc.htm and
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/sc11104.doc.htm
2. Primary (Urban) Cooperative Banks are required to update the list of individuals/entities as circulated by Reserve Bank of India 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/pressreleases.shtml
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
Encls.: As above
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/238 · issued 10 Sep 2013. 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 list with the 20th and 21st UN Al-Qaida updates immediately.
Conduct a fresh scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the updated list.
Follow the freezing procedures outlined in paragraph 7 of RBI's November 16, 2009 circular for any matched accounts.
Ensure your Compliance Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular to the respective 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 (All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs), Compliance Officers of UCBs, Branch managers handling account opening and monitoring), your first concrete step on “UCBs Must Update Al-Qaida Sanctions List for UAPA Compliance” is: “Update your internal sanctions list with the 20th and 21st UN Al-Qaida updates immediately.” (RBI issued this 10 Sep 2013).
Circular: RBI/2013-14/238 -- UCBs Must Update Al-Qaida Sanctions List for UAPA Compliance
Issued: 10 Sep 2013
Action required: Update your internal sanctions list with the 20th and 21st UN Al-Qaida updates immediately.
Action required: Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
Action required: Conduct a fresh scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the updated list.
Action required: Follow the freezing procedures outlined in paragraph 7 of RBI's November 16, 2009 circular for any matched accounts.
Action required: Ensure your Compliance Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular to the respective 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=8391&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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