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Online Workshop on Regulatory Concerns on Fair Lending Practices and KYC

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Our resources on KYC can be accessed here.

Our resources on SBR:

AML/ CFT Compliances Expand – RBI Further Amends KYC Master Directions

– Chirag Agarwal | Executive | finserve@vinodkothari.com

Introduction

The Reserve Bank of India (“RBI” or “Regulator”) plays a pivotal role in India meeting its anti-money laundering (AML) and combating financing of terrorism (CFT) obligations as part of its membership with the Financial Actions Task Force (FATF). As the Regulator of the credit sector and payment systems it does so by  ensuring the implementation of robust and up-to-date Know Your Customer (KYC) norms vide its  Master Direction – Know Your Customer (KYC) Direction, 2016 (“KYC Directions”). With a possible FATF evaluation around the corner, on October 17, 2023, the RBI introduced significant amendments to these KYC directives through its notification titled – Amendment to the Master Direction on KYC (“Amendment”), impacting various regulated entities, including Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).

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KYC/AML risk categorisation of customers

Key Points as per the RBI’s Directions on Risk Management under the KYC and PML Regime

-Anita Baid | Vice President | anita@vinodkothari.com

In line with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) directions on risk management under the Know Your Customer (KYC) norms and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) standards, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) are required to categorize their customers into low, medium, and high-risk categories. This risk categorization plays a crucial role in determining the level of due diligence to be undertaken by the NBFC while establishing and maintaining relationships with customers. Here are some key points to consider regarding the risk categorization process for legal entities (corporate borrowers, LLPs, trust, etc.) as well for individual borrowers:

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Practicing professionals as reporting entities under PMLA

Ministry of Finance notification notifies certain client transactions by CA, CS and CMAs for money laundering law

– Team Finserv | finserv@vinodkothari.com

Brief Background

The Ministry of Finance vide notification dated May 03, 2023 (‘Notification’) has widened the ambit of the term “Reporting Entity” as defined in Section 2(1)(wa), read with sec. 2 (1)(sa) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (‘PMLA’). The Notification, which has already created a lot of flutter, seems to bring practising corporate professionals (CAs, CSs, CMAs), if the said corporate professionals are carrying certain “financial transactions” on behalf of their clients.

At its first reading, one may either take a very aggressive view, to regard all practising corporate  professionals as being “reporting entities”. However, a finer reading suggests that only such professionals, who are carrying specified financial transactions on behalf of their clients, are covered as reporting entities. We discuss this below.

Our YouTube video on the topic discussing the changes brought in by the said notification and its implications is available here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWdeFfVcnQM
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PML Act and Rules: Recent changes may have new compliance requirements

-Team Finserv | finserv@vinodkothari.com

Background

Financial sector entities have to follow PMLA and related rules, including by way of KYC Directions. The Finance Ministry came up with various amendments pertaining to the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 (“PML Act”) and the Prevention of Money-Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005 (‘PML Rules’). The amendments pertain to revised thresholds for ascertainment of beneficial ownership (25% to 10%), implementation of group wide policies for compliance with provisions of Chapter IV, expanding the obligations under PMLA to service providers of virtual digital assets, etc.

Effective date and applicability:

The amendment shall be effective from the same date, i.e. March 07, 2023. It may be noted that the Master Direction – Know Your Customer (KYC) Direction, 2016  (‘KYC Directions’) are issued and updated by the regulator based on the amendment in PML Act and PML Rules. However, the Regulated Entities (RE) are required to ensure compliance with the provisions of PML Act and PML Rules, as amended from time to time. Hence, necessary steps must be taken based on the amendments.

Whether applicable to existing or new customers?

Customer Due Diligence (as required under the PML Act and Rules) is required to be undertaken at the time of commencement of a financial transaction or account-based relationship with the customer. Accordingly, necessary steps must be taken by the RE to ensure compliance with the Amendment Rules for all new customers or new financial transactions undertaken with existing customers after March 07, 2023. However, it is also pertinent to note rule 9(12) of the PML Rules which requires reporting entities to exercise continuous due diligence with respect to the business relationship with every clients.

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NBFCs licensed for KYC authentication: Guide to the new RBI privilege for Aadhaar e-KYC Authentication

-Kanakprabha Jethani (kanak@vinodkothari.com)

Background

On September 13, 2021, the RBI issued a notification[1] (‘RBI Notification’) permitting all NBFCs, Payment System Providers and Payment System Participants to carry out authentication of client’s Aadhaar number using e-KYC facility provided by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), subject, of course, to license being granted by MoF. The process involves an application to the RBI, onward submission after screening of the application by the RBI, then a further screening by UIDAI, and final grant of authentication by the MoF,

We discuss below the underlying requirements of the PMLA, Aadhaar Act and regulations thereunder (defined below) and other important preconditions for this new-found authorisation for NBFCs. Read more