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UNSC Sanctions List Updated: One New Individual Added

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-22/134 · issued 26 Nov 2021 · ~2 min read

Quick answerRBI directs all regulated entities to freeze assets and block accounts of Emraan Ali, newly added to the UNSC ISIL/Al-Qaida sanctions list. Check your customer database immediately and ensure no accounts exist for this individual.

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

The RBI told all banks and other money companies to freeze (stop anyone from using) the money and accounts of a person named Emraan Ali, because the United Nations (a group of countries) added him to a list of people linked to bad groups.
You must check all your customers' names, even old or unused accounts, to see if any match Emraan Ali.
If you find any account or money belonging to Emraan Ali, you must freeze it right away and tell the government's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
If a customer asks to be taken off the list, you must send that request to the Joint Secretary (CTCR) in the Ministry of Home Affairs by email.
Your compliance team (the people who make sure rules are followed) must regularly check the United Nations sanctions list (the list of banned people) on the websites given in the RBI's message.

How it plays out — a real example

Ravi, a payments & clearing officer in Indore, gets the RBI's message about Emraan Ali. He quickly runs a check on all customer accounts, including old ones, and finds no match. He then updates his bank's screening system so any future customer named Emraan Ali will be flagged and blocked automatically.

What changed

The UN Security Council added one individual (Emraan Ali) to its ISIL (Da'esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List on November 24, 2021. RBI has now communicated this update to all regulated entities, requiring them to implement the asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo as per Section 51A of UAPA, 1967.

What it means for you

Banks and other regulated entities must immediately screen their customer base against the updated UNSC list and freeze any accounts or assets belonging to the newly added individual. Failure to comply could lead to regulatory action. The delisting process remains available through MHA or the UN Ombudsperson.

What you must do

Update your AML/KYC screening systems with the new UNSC list entry for Emraan Ali.
Run a one-time check across all customer accounts, including dormant ones, for matches with this individual.
Freeze any identified accounts/assets and report to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and MHA as per existing procedures.
Forward any delisting requests received from customers to Joint Secretary (CTCR), MHA electronically.
Remind compliance teams to regularly check the UNSC sanctions list URLs provided in the circular.

Who it affects

All scheduled commercial banks, All non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), All payment system operators, All other RBI-regulated entities

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Decoded by BankPulse 2026-06-18 07:07 IST
Later amended by — rbi-2021-22-19

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

What is the source of this sanctions list update?

The UN Security Council Committee, via press release SC/14712 dated November 24, 2021, added one individual (Emraan Ali) to the ISIL (Da'esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List. RBI has forwarded this to all regulated entities.

How should we handle a delisting request from a customer?

Forward any delisting request electronically to Joint Secretary (CTCR), Ministry of Home Affairs. Customers can also approach the UN Ombudsperson directly via the URL provided in the circular.

Does this circular replace earlier KYC master directions?

No, this is an update to the existing obligations under Section 51A of UAPA, 1967, as already covered in the Master Direction on KYC dated February 25, 2016 (amended May 10, 2021). It adds one new name to the sanctions list.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI

RBI/2021-22/134
 DOR.AML.REC.71/14.06.001/2021-22
 November 26, 2021
 The Chairpersons/ CEOs of all the Regulated Entities
 Madam/Dear Sir,
 Implementation of Section 51A of UAPA, 1967: Updates to UNSC’s 1267/ 1989 ISIL (Da'esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List: Addition of one entry 
 Please refer to Section 51 of our Master Direction on Know Your Customer dated February 25, 2016 as amended on May 10, 2021 , in terms of which “Regulated Entities (REs) shall ensure that in terms of Section 51A of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (UAPA) Act, 1967, they do not have any account in the name of individuals/entities appearing in the lists of individuals and entities, suspected of having terrorist links, which are approved by and periodically circulated by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).” 
 2. In this regard, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has now forwarded the following Press Release issued by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Committee established pursuant to Resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities regarding changes in the List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of UNSC resolution 2368 (2017), and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.
 Note SC/14712 dated 24 November 2021 regarding addition of 1 individual [QDi.430 Name: 1: EMRAAN 2: ALI 3: na 4: na] in UNSC’s 1267/ 1989 ISIL (Da'esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List. 
 The UNSC press release concerning amendments to the list is available at URL:
 https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/press-releases 
 3. Updated lists of individuals and entities linked to ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and Taliban are available at:
 www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list 
 https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1988/materials 
 4. The details of the sanctions measures and exemptions are available at the following URL:
 https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267#further_information 
 5. As per the instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), any request for delisting received by any Regulated Entity (RE) is to be forwarded electronically to Joint Secretary (CTCR), MHA for consideration. Individuals, groups, undertakings or entities seeking to be removed from the Security Council’s ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List can submit their request for delisting to an independent and impartial Ombudsperson who has been appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General. More details are available at the following URL:
 https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ombudsperson/application 
 6. In view of the above, REs are advised to take note of the aforementioned UNSC communication and ensure meticulous compliance.
 Yours faithfully,
 (Vivek Srivastava)
 General Manager

Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-22/134 · issued 26 Nov 2021. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.

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Who does what — compliance checklist

💻 IT / Systems

Update your AML/KYC screening systems with the new UNSC list entry for Emraan Ali.

📜 Compliance

Run a one-time check across all customer accounts, including dormant ones, for matches with this individual.
Freeze any identified accounts/assets and report to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and MHA as per existing procedures.
Forward any delisting requests received from customers to Joint Secretary (CTCR), MHA electronically.
Remind compliance teams to regularly check the UNSC sanctions list URLs provided in the 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 an IT/Systems lead at a bank this circular applies to (All scheduled commercial banks, All non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), All payment system operators, All other RBI-regulated entities), your first concrete step on “UNSC Sanctions List Updated: One New Individual Added” is: “Update your AML/KYC screening systems with the new UNSC list entry for Emraan Ali.” (RBI issued this 26 Nov 2021).

Circular: RBI/2021-22/134 -- UNSC Sanctions List Updated: One New Individual Added
Issued: 26 Nov 2021
Action required: Update your AML/KYC screening systems with the new UNSC list entry for Emraan Ali.
Action required: Run a one-time check across all customer accounts, including dormant ones, for matches with this individual.
Action required: Freeze any identified accounts/assets and report to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and MHA as per existing procedures.
Action required: Forward any delisting requests received from customers to Joint Secretary (CTCR), MHA electronically.
Action required: Remind compliance teams to regularly check the UNSC sanctions list URLs provided in the 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.

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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=12203&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.