Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND) was set by the Government of India in 2004 as the central national agency responsible for receiving, processing, analyzing and disseminating information relating to suspect financial transactions. FIU-IND is also responsible for coordinating and strengthening efforts of national and international intelligence, investigation and enforcement agencies in pursuing the global efforts against money laundering and related crimes. FIU-IND is an independent body reporting directly to the Economic Intelligence Council (EIC) headed by the Finance Minister.
Functions of FIU-IND
The main function of FIU-IND is to receive cash/suspicious transaction reports, analyse them and, as appropriate, disseminate valuable financial information to intelligence/enforcement agencies and regulatory authorities . The functions of FIU-IND are:
1)Collection of Information: Act as the central reception point for receiving Cash Transaction reports (CTRs) and Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) from various reporting entities.
2)Analysis of Information: Analyze received information in order to uncover patterns of transactions suggesting suspicion of money laundering and related crimes.
3)Sharing of Information: Share information with national intelligence/law enforcement agencies, national regulatory authorities and foreign Financial Intelligence Units.
4)Act as Central Repository: Establish and maintain national data base on cash transactions and suspicious transactions on the basis of reports received from reporting entities.
5)Coordination: Coordinate and strengthen collection and sharing of financial intelligence through an effective national, regional and global network to combat money laundering and related crimes.
Research and Analysis: Monitor and identify strategic key areas on money
laundering trends, typologies and developments.
Organisational Set-up
FIU-IND is a multi disciplinary body headed by a Director. Personnel in this Unit are being inducted from different organizations namely Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Department of Legal Affairs and Intelligence agencies.
Authorities at FIU-IND
According to Section 48 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 there shall be the following classes of authorities for the purposes of this Act, namely:-
(a) Director or Additional Director or Joint Director,
(b) Deputy Director,
(c) Assistant Director, and
(d) such other class of officers as may be appointed for the purposes of this Act.
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