Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) forms the core of legal framework put in place by India to combat money laundering and related crimes. PMLA and the Rules notified there under came into force from 1st July, 2005. Under PMLA, all the entries registered with SEBI are required to furnish information of all the suspicious transactions whether or not made in cash to FIU-IND. Under Section 3 of PMLA, projecting of crime as untainted property is an offence of money laundering liable to be punishment under section 4 of the PMLA.
Money Laundering involves disguising financial assets so that they can be used without detection of the illegal activity that produced them. Through money laundering, the launderer transforms the monetary proceeds derived from criminal activity into funds with as apparently legal source.
Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) is the central national agency of India responsible for receiving, processing, analyzing and disseminating information of suspect financial transactions. FIU-IND is also responsible for coordinating and strengthening efforts of national and international intelligence, investigation and enforcement agencies in combating money laundering and related crimes.
Section 2 (1) (g) of PMLA Rules defines suspicious transaction whether or not made in cash which, to a person acting in good faith:
The policy and procedures as outlined below provides a general background on the subjects of money laundering and terrorist financing summarizes the main provisions of the applicable anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing legislation in India and provides guidance on the practical implications of the Act. The same also sets out the steps that a registered intermediary and any of its representatives, should implement to discourage and identify any money laundering or terrorist financing activities.
The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 has come into effect from 1st July 2005. Necessary Notifications / Rules under the said Act have been published in the Gazette of India on 1st July 2005 by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
As per the provisions of the Act, every banking company, financial institution (which includes chit fund company, a co-operative bank, a housing finance institution and a non- banking financial company) and intermediary (which Includes a stock-broker, sub- broker, share transfer agent, banker to an issue, trustee to a trust deed, registrar to an
issue, merchant banker, underwriter, portfolio manager, investment adviser and any other intermediary associated with securities market and registered under section 12 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992) shall have to maintain a record of all the transactions; the nature and value of which has been prescribed in the Rules under the PMLA. Such transactions include:
All cash transactions of the value of more than Rs 10 lacs or its equivalent in foreign currency.
We should adopt written procedures to implement the anti-money laundering provisions as envisaged under the Anti Money Laundering Act, 2002. Such procedures should include inter alia, the following three specific parameters which are related to the overall ‘Client Due Diligence Process’:
The customer due diligence (“CDD”) measures comprise the following:
As an organization providing Research Analyst Services, details of securities account of
clients are not shared with us in the process of delivering services and execution services are not part of our service package. Accordingly, identifying the beneficial owner or controlling party of the securities account of the client is the responsibility of the broker handling the security account of the client.
Since Research Analyst regulation does not envisage on the KYC of the clients, basic KYC
detail i.e., PAN card number to establish identity of the client are to be collected from the clients. KYC Status of the clients are to be verified using below link: –
https://kra.ndml.in/kra-web/jsps/pos/KYCClientInquiry_NEW.jsp
Or, https://www.karvykra.com/UPanSearchGlobalWithPanExempt.aspx
Transaction data is not handled by us as the client doesn’t share the such data with us as part of our research service. We provide non-discretionary research recommendation service, execution of which is on the discretion of the client, and execution is handled by client themselves. Client don’t share any executional or transactional data with us. Accordingly, identifying the beneficial owner or controlling party of the securities account of the client is the responsibility of the broker handling the security account of the client.
As part of client due diligence process below guidelines are to be adhered to-
Following safeguards are to be followed while accepting the clients
No account is opened in a fictitious / benami name or on an anonymous basis.
These can be accessed at the URL:
http://www.un.org/sc/committees1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml &
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1988/list.shtml
The client identification procedure to be carried out at the time of establishing the client relationship i.e. onboarding the client. Since Research Analyst regulation does not envisage on the KYC of the clients, basic KYC detail i.e., PAN card number of the client are to be collected from the clients to establish identity of our clients whom the services are delivered.
Failure by prospective client to provide satisfactory evidence of identity should be noted and reported to the higher authority and service should not be started for the said client.
All the records of the clients are to be maintained for a minimum period of 10 Years or in case of any regulatory action till the time the same is resolved.
Audit of RA activities to be done by an independent professional as allowed by the regulation. Any observations of audit to be taken on priority basis and corrective actions to be initiated.
Only Transaction encountered while delivering the service is collection of fees as we don’t have access to the execution of transaction data of the clients. Accordingly, the fee collection should be through our bank account only. Further, no cash transaction should be allowed for fee payment by the clients.
The nature and value of transactions, which has been prescribed in the Rules under the PMLA to maintain and record includes:
Any suspicious transactions will be immediately notified to the Compliance Officer. The notifications may be done in the form of a detailed report with specific references to the clients, transactions and the nature/reason of suspicion. The compliance staff members will have timely access to customer identification data and other CDD information, transaction records and other relevant information.
Compliance Officer will carefully go through all the reporting requirements and formats as per the provision of PMLA.
In terms of the PMLA rules, BMWA will report information relating to cash and suspicious transactions to The Director, Financial Intelligence Unit India (FIU – IND) at the following
Address: Director, FIU – IND, Financial Intelligence Unit India 6th floor, Hotel Samrat Chanakyapuri. New Delhi – 110021.
Principal Officer
The Principal Officer is responsible for the following:
On-Boarding Staff
For staff members dealing with customers or handling customer-facing processes, it is essential to be sensitive to the AML requirements and obligations
Copy of above policy is to be provided to all the management and relevant staff that handle account information, securities transactions, money and client records etc.
whether in branches, departments or subsidiaries; An internal session on awareness of the above policy is to b conducted on a yearly basis in 1st week of April to spread awareness of the same among all the relevant person(s).
It is to be ensured that the activities are in compliance with all the relevant statutory and regulatory requirements.
As and when sought appropriate information’s of the clients as maintained are to be shared with the relevant law enforcement authorities and timely disclosures of the information’s to be made as per the requirement.
Management of the research Entity is to review the policies and procedures on the prevention of ML and TF to ensure their effectiveness as and when there is change in regulatory guidelines with respect to prevention of ML and TF.