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UN Sanctions List Update: One Individual Removed

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-22/99 · issued 13 Sep 2021 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI directs all regulated entities to note the removal of one individual (Khalifa Muhammad Turki Al Subaiy) from the UNSC 1267/1989 ISIL & Al-Qaida Sanctions List, effective September 2021. Entities must update their screening databases and ensure no frozen accounts remain 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
How it plays out — a real example

A payments & clearing officer in Indore checks her bank's screening system every morning. Today, she sees an alert that Khalifa Muhammad Turki Al Subaiy has been removed from the UN sanctions list. She immediately updates the system to remove his name, then calls her compliance team to unfreeze his old account that was blocked last year. Now, if he walks in for a gold loan, she can process it without any delay.

What changed

The UN Security Council removed one individual, QDi.253 (Khalifa Muhammad Turki Al Subaiy), from its ISIL (Da'esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List as per press release SC/14622 dated September 6, 2021. RBI has communicated this deletion to all regulated entities, requiring them to update their compliance records accordingly.

What it means for you

Banks and other regulated entities must immediately unfreeze any assets or accounts belonging to this individual if they were previously frozen due to the sanctions list. This deletion does not affect other entries on the list; entities must continue to screen against the updated list. Failure to update records could lead to compliance gaps or customer grievances.

What you must do

Who it affects

All scheduled commercial banks, Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), Payment system operators, Other regulated entities under RBI's AML/KYC framework

❓ Common questions

What should we do if we had frozen accounts for this individual?

You must immediately unfreeze those accounts and update your records, as the individual is no longer on the UN sanctions list. Ensure compliance with the RBI circular and maintain documentation of the action taken.

Where can we find the updated sanctions list?

The updated list is available on the UN Security Council website at https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list and for Taliban-related entries at https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1988/materials.

How should we handle delisting requests from customers?

Forward any delisting requests electronically to Joint Secretary (CTCR), Ministry of Home Affairs. Individuals can also approach the UN Ombudsperson directly via https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ombudsperson/application.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2021-22/99 DOR.AML.REC.49/14.06.001/2021-22 September 13, 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: Deletion 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/14622 dated 06 September 2021 regarding removal of one individual QDi.253 Name: 1: KHALIFA 2: MUHAMMAD 3: TURKI 4:AL SUBAIY] from 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: http://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/2021-22/99 · issued 13 Sep 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 to remove Khalifa Muhammad Turki Al Subaiy from the blocked list.
📜 Compliance
  • Unfreeze any accounts or assets of this individual that were frozen under Section 51A of UAPA, 1967.
  • Ensure your compliance team reviews the updated UNSC sanctions list available at the provided UN URLs.
  • Forward any delisting requests from customers to Joint Secretary (CTCR), Ministry of Home Affairs as per MHA instructions.
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, Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), Payment system operators, Other regulated entities under RBI's AML/KYC framework), your first concrete step on “UN Sanctions List Update: One Individual Removed” is: “Update your AML/KYC screening systems to remove Khalifa Muhammad Turki Al Subaiy from the blocked list.” (RBI issued this 13 Sep 2021).

  1. Circular: RBI/2021-22/99 -- UN Sanctions List Update: One Individual Removed
  2. Issued: 13 Sep 2021
  3. Action required: Update your AML/KYC screening systems to remove Khalifa Muhammad Turki Al Subaiy from the blocked list.
  4. Action required: Unfreeze any accounts or assets of this individual that were frozen under Section 51A of UAPA, 1967.
  5. Action required: Ensure your compliance team reviews the updated UNSC sanctions list available at the provided UN URLs.
  6. Action required: Forward any delisting requests from customers to Joint Secretary (CTCR), Ministry of Home Affairs as per MHA instructions.
  7. Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
  8. Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
  9. 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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Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=12162&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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