السُّلْطَانَ means the ruler or one holding authority. The warning وَمَنْ أَتَى السُّلْطَانَ، افْتُتِنَ concerns temptation to compromise truth to obtain favor or status. The danger is ethical dependence on power, not every legitimate contact with public authorities.
Example 1: Falsifying a report to please a powerful official reflects moral compromise.
Example 2: Approaching an institution transparently to resolve a lawful matter is a different situation.
The useful distinction is between self-serving flattery and principled, lawful cooperation. This keeps the interpretation grounded in conduct rather than unfair labels.