Behrampore, Dec. 2: Adhir Cowdhury today accused a police officer of “mental torture” after he insisted that jail rules could not be altered for the sake of the arrested MP.

Deputy inspector-general, prisons, Panchanan Biswas said security around Chowdhury, who is in Behrampore Central Jail, has been tightened since November 22.

However, Chowdhury said: “I am being mentally tortured by the DIG. I don’t know why he is sitting in the jail, though his office is in Calcutta. My cell was searched yesterday and I am not being allowed to talk to anyone.”

The MP was produced in the district court this morning in connection with a murder and an attempt to murder in 1985 and 1981. Also accused of being involved in a double murder in July, he was arrested from his official residence in Delhi on November 19.

Biswas said: “Adhir Chowdhury is an undertrial prisoner. Jail rules can’t be different for him. We have every right to impose restrictions on his mingling with other inmates, pay surprise visits and search his cell.” He has also been barred from reading books without the jail authorities’ approval.

Chowdhury is housed in a room adjacent to the jail hospital that was specially readied for him. “Inmates came to him at will. He went out of the room to mingle with other prisoners whenever he felt like. His driver, Gopal Singh, an accused in the same case, stayed with him through the day,” said a jail official.

In the court today, there was no one to protest against the MP’s arrest. Last time, the police had to cordon off about a kilometre around the court.