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:
Category | Examples of Suspicious transactions |
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Identity of Clients |
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Suspicious Background |
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Multiple Accounts |
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Activity in Accounts |
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Nature of Transactions |
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Value of transactions |
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