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She spied on her staff and kept a secret file on one employee, the report said, even though that person had never been told of any problems.

The report cast Chotalia as a tyrant who belittled and insulted her staff to the point of tears.

“Ms. Chotalia, during meetings and in the presence of other employees, behaved in a way that was belittling and humiliating toward individuals,” it said.

“She frequently raised individuals’ personal health issues, the topic of a previous disagreement and unjustifiably blamed them for errors. In some cases, individuals were brought to tears as a result of her public humiliations.”

Her aggressive interrogations of some staff caused them “severe anxiety,” the report added. Nor was her behaviour limited to more junior staff. Investigators found Chotalia harassed and abused other government-appointed members of the tribunal, who presided over hearings.

“Ms. Chotalia frequently yelled insults and directed defamatory comments at a member, questioning his competencies and bringing up issues about this person’s health and capacity to work in the presence of other employees,” the report says.

Another tribunal member was criticized for defending an employee who was being harassed in the workplace. Chotalia put “inappropriate pressure” on that member to render decisions during tribunal hearings, the report says, and often belittled him by calling him “immature” and a “child.”

She spied on her staff and kept a secret file on one employee, the report said, even though that person had never been told of any problems.