New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS): A Delhi court has criticised the police for not conducting a "substantive investigation" in a case wherein a man was accused of raping a Mumbai-based TV artiste and model after spiking her drink with drugs.

While the court granted the accused bail, it pulled up police for treating statements of witnesses as gospel truth.

The court noted significant improvements and contradictions in the complainant's recorded statement compared to the original FIR. It also pointed out that the complainant's mother, a crucial witness, was not examined.

Stressing on the need for an effective investigation, it said that the witness statements were not relevant to the material facts regarding the alleged offense.

The judge said that the investigation should have examined various aspects related to the allegations, including the source of the drink, the type of drugs, and forensic examinations.

While a rape victim's testimony may not need corroboration in court, the investigating agency has a responsibility to conduct a proper investigation in rape cases, the judge added.

The court granted bail, as it found no merit in the grounds opposing the bail application.