(Reveals prison letter admitting Priyanka - Nalini meeting)

While going back on their earlier written statement that Priyanka Gandhi, daughter of Rajiv Gandhi never met former Prime Minister assassination convict Nalini, Vellore Prison Superintendent admitted that the two women actually met and Rajiv's daughter Priyanka is protected as she faces a high level of threat from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), her father's killers.

A second letter written by the prison authorities said, "Priyanka Vadra (Gandhi's married name) is protected by the SPG and faces a high level of threat from various outfits, including the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Moreover, the meeting was more of a personal nature."

It is believed the prison authorities made the statement based on intelligence reports possessed by India.

It has been now explained that during the Priyanka Gandhi (Vadra) visit to the Vellore prison she was accompanied by special security men belonging to Special Protection Group (SPG) and the prison visitor's records are marked under such a security official named Pankaj Kumar and two other officials who were protecting her and hence the earlier denial.

It has been also explained that the Priyanka - Nalini meeting actually took place on March 19, and that the meeting was not in violation of established norms, by Ms. Soundari, the Superintendent of the Women's prison.

The controversy arose following a letter written by a lawyer requesting information regarding the Priyanka-Gandhi meeting under the Right of information Act. Prison authorities earlier wrote saying the meeting never took place. Prison authorities in the second letter also maintained the visit was well within the rules 520, 522, and 526of the Tamil Nadu Jail Manual (Part 11).

The lawyer who petitioned for information wanted to know besides the legalities of the meeting, how long it lasted, the details of others present and the objects exchanged between Ms. Priyanka Vadra and Nalini. Stating that Ms. Vadra, daughter of Rajiv Gandhi, met life convict '810' Nalini, wife of Sriharan, in prison, the Prison Superintendent refused to divulge further information quoting Section 8 (1) (g) of the RTI Act. (The section states there shall be no obligation to give any citizen information, the disclosure of which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security reasons.)