Know Your Customer, Anti Money Laundering And Combating Financial Terrorism Policy

BY: Akanksha Gupta

MBA-I Dept Of Business Management Sinhgad Academy of Engineering, Pune. Email Id: akanksha25191@gmail.com

Abstract:
This article defines "money laundering" and the conceptual and actual role its regulation plays in dealing with various sectors of the economy, as well as the procedural aspects of the same. It gives an insight into the policies used to prevent money laundering. Then it goes on to discuss the three steps involved into money laundering. If laundering is prevented, incentives to become major criminals are diminished. It identifies and critiques three aspects of harm arising from laundering: facilitating crime groups' expansion, corroding financial institutions, and extent. It gives some infamous instances when this menace was unearthed. Then it deals with the various legislations in force to curb this process. It concludes that much detected laundering involves the same out-of-place judgments the police use, but though the proportion of routine and suspicious activity reports that yield arrests may be low, they do generate some important enforcement actions. Nevertheless, the impact of anti laundering efforts on enforcement resources, organized crime markets, or drug consumption levels remains modestly understood at present. The authors have tried to give an insight into money laundering with solution to curb this menace.

Keywords: 1. Know Your Customer (KYC) 2. Customer Acceptance policy. 3. Customer Identification Process. 4. Services. 5. Risk Management.

INTRODUCTION
The word laundering is used for cleaning dirty clothes. Money Laundering refers to the conversion or Laundering of money which is illegally obtained, in order to make it appear to originate from a legitimate source. Thus it is a process by which proceeds from illegal activities are disguised in order to conceal their illicit origin. Money laundering is being employed by launders worldwide to conceal criminal activity associated with it such as drug /arms trafficking, terrorism and extortion. While there are several definitions for Money Laundering , one that is commonly used is the definition by FATF. The Financial Action Task force on Money Laundering (FATF) define money laundering the processing of criminal proceeds to disguise their illegal origin in order to legitimize the ill-gotten gain of crime. Earlier the term money laundering was applied only to financial transactions involving organized crimes. However, this is now being expanded to encompass any financial transaction which generates an asset or a value as the result of an illegal act, which may involve action such as tax evasion or false accounting. Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 defines offence of money laundering as under: Whosoever directly or indirectly attempts to indulge or knowingly assist or knowingly is a party or is actually involved in any process or activity connected with the proceeds of the crime and projecting it as untainted property shall be guilty of offence of money laundering.

The United Nations Global Program against money laundering has identified 10 fundamental laws of money laundering they are:
1. The more successful a money laundering apparatus is in imitating the patterns and behavior of legitimate transaction, the less the likelihood of it being exposed.

2. The more deeply embedded illegal activities are within the legal economy and the less their institutional and functional separation, the more difficult it is to detect money laundering. 3. The lower the ratio of illegal to legal financial flows through any given business institution, the more difficult it is to detect money laundering. 4. The higher the ratio of illegal services" to physical goods production in any economy, the more easily money laundering can be conducted in that economy. 5. The more the business structure of production and distribution of non-financial goods and services is dominated by small and independent firms or self employed individuals, the more difficult the job of separating legal from illegal transactions. 6. The greater the facility of using cheques, credit cards and other non cash instruments for effecting illegal financial transactions, the more difficult it is to detect money laundering. 7. The greater the degree of financial deregulation for legitimate transactions, the more difficult it is to trace and neutralize criminal money. 8. The lower the ratio of illegally to legally earned income entering any given economy from outside , the harder the job of separating criminal from legal money. 9. The greater the progress towards the financial services supermarket and the greater the degree to which all manner of financial services can be met within one integrated multi-divisional institution, the more difficult it is to detect money laundering. 10. The greater the contradiction between the global operation and national regulation of financial markets, the more difficult the detection of money laundering.

Objectives To Prevent Money Laundering

The primary objective is to prevent the Bank from being used, intentionally or

unintentionally, by criminal elements for money laundering or terrorist financing activities. Purposes proposed to be served by the Policy are: (i) To prevent criminal elements from using the Bank for money laundering Activities. (ii) To enable the Bank to know/understand the customers and their financial dealings better which, in turn, would help the Bank to manage risks prudently.

(iii)

To put in place appropriate controls for detection and reporting of suspicious activities in accordance with applicable laws/laid down procedures.

(iv)

To comply with applicable laws and regulatory guidelines.

(v)

To ensure that the concerned staff are adequately trained in KYC/AML/CFT procedures.

This Policy is applicable to all domestic branches/offices of the Bank and is to be read in conjunction with related operational guidelines issued from time to time.

Introduction to KYC Policy(Know Your Customer)

Know Your Customer (KYC) is the due institution and other regulated companies ascertain relevant information pertinent to typically a policy implemented to conform diligence and bank regulation that financial must perform to identify their clients and doing financial business with them. KYC is to a customer identification program. Know

your customer policies are becoming increasingly important globally to prevent identity theft fraud, money laundering and terrorist financing. Beyond name matching, a key aspect of KYC controls is to monitor transactions of a customer against their recorded profile, history on the customers account(s) and with peers. Banks doing KYC monitoring for anti-money laundering (AML) and checks relating to combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) increasingly use specialised transaction monitoring software, particularly names analysis software and trend monitoring software.

Key Elements of the KYC Policy

The KYC Policy of the Bank has the following key elements: Customer Acceptance Policy Customer Identification Procedures Monitoring of Transactions and Risk Management While the Policy directions are given in this document, the detailed operating guidelines are being issued separately which should be referred to for effective implementation of the Policy.

1. Customer Acceptance Policy

Banks Customer Acceptance policy (CAP) lays down the criteria for acceptance of customers. The guidelines in respect of the customer relationship in the Bank broadly are:

(i)

No account is to be opened in anonymous or fictitious/benami name(s)/entity(ies)

(ii)

Accept customers only after verifying their identity, as laid down in Customer Identification Procedures.

(iii)

Classify customers into various risk categories and, based on risk perception, apply the acceptance criteria for each category of customers. Also, a profile of each customer will be prepared based on risk categorisation.

(iv)

Documentation requirements and other information to be collected, as per PMLA and RBI guidelines/instructions, to be complied with.

(v)

Not to open an account or close an existing account, where identity of the account holder cannot be verified and/or documents/information required could not be obtained/confirmed due to non-cooperation of the customer.

(vi)

Identity of a new customer to be checked so as to ensure that it does not match with any person with known criminal background or banned entities such as individual terrorists or terrorist organizations etc.

(vii)

Implementation of CAP should not become too restrictive and result in denial of banking services to general public, especially those who are financially or socially disadvantaged.

(viii) The decision to open an account for Politically Exposed Person (PEP) should be taken at a senior level.

2. Customer Identification Procedures:

Customer identification requires identifying the customer and verifying his/her identity by using reliable, independent source documents, data or information. Thus, the first

requirement of Customer Identification Procedures (CIP) is to be satisfied that a prospective customer is actually who he/she claims to be. The second requirement of CIP is to ensure that sufficient information is obtained on the identity and the purpose of the intended nature of the banking relationship. This would enable risk profiling of the customer and also to determine the expected or predictable pattern of transactions. Identification data, as under, would be required to be obtained in respect of different classes of customers:

1. For customers that are natural persons: a) Address/location details b) Recent photograph

2. For customers that are legal persons: a) Legal status of the legal person/entity through proper and relevant documents b) Verification that any person purporting to act on behalf of the legal person/entity is so authorized and identity of that person is established and verified

c) Understand the ownership and control structure of the customer and determine who are the natural persons who ultimately control the legal person.

Wherever applicable, information on the nature of business activity, location, mode of payments, volume of turnover, social and financial status etc. will be collected for completing the profile of the customer. Customers will be classified into three risk categories namely High, Medium and Low, based on the risk perception. The risk categorization will be reviewed periodically. The Customer Identification Procedures are to be carried out at the following stages: While establishing a banking relationship; When the bank feels it is necessary to obtain additional information from the existing customers based on the conduct or behaviour of the account.

Customer identitification data (including photograph/s) should be periodically updated after the account is opened. Such verification should be done atleast once in five years in case of low risk category customers and not less than once in two years in case of high and medium risk customers.

Customer Identification will also be carried out in respect of non-account holders approaching bank for high value one-off transaction as well as any person or entity connected with a financial transaction which can pose significant reputational or other risks to the Bank.

3. Small Deposit (No Frills) Accounts:

With a view to ensuring financial inclusion such that persons, especially those belonging to low income group both in urban and rural areas, who are not able to produce such documents required by the Bank to satisfy about their identity and address, are not denied banking services, branches may open Small Deposit (No Frills) accounts, for natural persons only, with relaxed KYC standards, as detailed in the operating guidelines. Persons desirous of opening such accounts can keep aggregate balances not exceeding Rs. 50,000/(Rupees fifty thousand only) in all their accounts taken together and the total credit, again

in all accounts taken together, should not exceed Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lac only) in a year. If at any point, the balances in all his/her accounts with the Bank (taken together) exceeds Rs. 50,000/- (Rupees fifty thousand only) or total credit in all accounts taken together exceeds Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lac only) in a year, no further transactions will be permitted until full KYC procedure is completed. Bank would notify the customers when the balances reach Rs. 40,000/- (Rupees forty thousand only) or total credit in a year reaches Rs. 80,000/- (Rupees eighty thousand only) so that appropriate documents, for complying with full KYC requirements are submitted well in time to avaoid blocking of transactions in the account.

4. Monitoring and Reporting of Transactions:

Monitoring of transactions will be conducted taking into consideration the risk profile of the account. Special attention will be paid to all complex, unusually large transactions and all unusual patterns, which have no apparent economic or visible lawful purpose. Transactions that involve large amounts of cash inconsistent with the normal and expected activity of the customer will be subjected to detailed scrutiny. System supported monitoring of transactions will be done by the AML team under the Principal Officer, based on alerts thrown up by the AML software acquired by the Bank and on the basis of feedback/inputs from Regional Offices, Zonal Offices, Administrative Offices, and respective relationship points. Simultaneously, however, relationship points will maintain oversight over the transactions with a view to identifying suspicious transactions and bringing them to the notice of the Principal Officer. After due diligence at the appropriate level in the Bank, transactions of suspicious nature and/or any other type of transaction notified under PMLA will be reported by the Principal Officer to Financial Intelligence Unit India (FIU-IND), the appropriate authority. A record of such transactions will be preserved and maintained for the period as prescribed in PMLA. Transactions in the accounts will also be monitored with a view to timely submitting, the Cash Transaction Report (CTR) in respect of cash transactions of Rs. 10,00,000/- (Rupees ten lacs only) and above undertaken in an account either singly or in an integrally

connected manner. All cash transactions, where forged or counterfeit Indian currency notes have been used, shall also be reported immediately by the branches, by way of Counterfeit Currency Reports (CCRs) to the Principal Officer, through proper channel, for onward reporting to FIU-IND.

5. Closure of Accounts:

Where the appropriate KYC measures could not be applied due to non-furnishing of information and/or non-cooperation by the customer, the account can be considered for closure or terminating the banking/business relationship. Before exercising this option, all efforts will be made to obtain the desired information and, in the event of failure, due notice, will be given to the customer explaining the reasons for taking such a decision. In all cases, the controlling authority at the respective Zonal/ Regional/ Head office shall be the competent authority to permit closure of such accounts.

6. Risk Management

While the Bank has adopted a risk-based approach to the implementation of this Policy, it is necessary to establish appropriate framework covering proper management oversight, systems, controls and other related matters. Banks Internal Audit of compliance with KYC/AML Policy will provide an independent evaluation of the same including legal and regulatory requirements. Concurrent/ Internal Auditors shall specifically check and verify the application of KYC/AML procedures at the branches and comment on the lapses observed in this regard. The compliance in this regard will be placed before the Audit Committee of the Board at quarterly intervals. The Principal Officer designated by the Bank in this regard will have overall responsibility for maintaining oversight and coordinating with various functionaries in the implementation of KYC/AML/CFT policy. However, primary responsibility of ensuring implementation of KYC/AML/CFT Policy and related guidelines will be vested with the respective Zonal Office. Suitable checks and balances in this regard will be put in place at

the time of introducing new products/procedures as also at the time of review of existing products/procedures for overall risk and compliance management. For this purpose, each Zonal office will designate an official as Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) who would ensure proper implementation and reporting, as per provisions of this Policy, to the Principal Officer.

SUGGESTIONS 1. Employee Training :

All employee training programmes, on KYC Standards/AML/CFT Measures should be scheduled so that members of the staff are adequately trained in KYC/AML/CFT procedures.

2. Recruitment/Hiring of Employees:
KYC norms/AML standards/CFT measures have been prescribed to ensure that criminals are not allowed to misuse channels of the Bank. Bank should put up necessary and adequate screening mechanism as an integral part of its recruitment/hiring process of personnel.

3. Customer Education:
The Bank recognizes should spread awareness on KYC, Anti Money Laundering measures and the rationale behind them amongst the customers and should take suitable and necessary steps for the purpose.

4. Introduction of New technologies

Bank should pay special attention to the money laundering threats arising from new or developing technologies and take necessary steps to prevent its misuse for money laundering activities. Bank will ensure that appropriate KYC procedures are duly applied to the customers using new technology driven products.

5. Review of the Policy

The Policy will be reviewed as and when considered necessary by the Board.

CONCLUSION
Money Laundering is a serious threat to financial system of all countries and it leads to destruction of the countrys sovereignty and character. The combating of money laundering has assumed an urgent impetus at both national and international levels as a result of the scale that money laundering has begun to assume, especially with respect to the financing of terrorist acts. The efforts being made to combat money laundering are beginning to bear fruits in that it is now taking centre stage in all jurisdictions. No one wants to be left behind mainly due to the consequences of such a situation those lagging behind might find it difficult to transact and do business with the rest of the complying world. The negative economic effects of money laundering on economic development are difficult to quantify, just as the extent of money laundering itself is difficult to estimate. Nonetheless, it is clear from available evidence that allowing money laundering activity to proceed unchallenged is not an optimal economic-development policy because it damages the financial institutions that are critical to economic growth, reduces productivity in the economys real sector by diverting resources and encouraging crime and corruption, and can distort the economys international trade and capital flows to the detriment of long-term economic development. Public awareness is necessary as masses do not understand the problem itself. Our education system should be able to inculcate the ideologies that our future generation does not get involved in this process. There needs to be a vigilant mechanism and our judiciary needs to punish these criminals early to send out a message that money laundering is not tolerable to this democratic society.

REFERENCE:
1.) Rajkumar Adukia, Prevention Of Money Laundering Act, 2002. 2.) Arvind Giriraj and Prashant Kumar Mishra - Money Laundering. 3.) www.iibf.org.in. 4.) www.rbi.org.in. 5.) www.wikipedia.org/know_your_customer.

6.) The Global Anti-Money Laundering / Know-Your-Customer Policy (the "Policy") of The Bank.pdf. 7.) KYC Know Your Customer Information for Customers.pdf 8.) Anti Money Laundering And Know Your Customer Policy General.pdf.