The Supreme Court of India clarified the scope of sanction and departmental exoneration under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, in T. Manjunath v. State of Karnataka. The appellant, a senior Motor Vehicles Inspector, was discharged by the trial court on the grounds of invalid sanction under Section 19 of the PC Act and his exoneration in departmental proceedings. The High Court reversed this decision and directed the trial to proceed. Allowing the appeal in part, the Supreme Court held that exoneration in departmental proceedings does not bar criminal prosecution, especially in trap cases. The Court emphasized that departmental inquiries and criminal trials operate on different standards of proof and that even if complainants or witnesses turn hostile, conviction can rest solely on the credible testimony of the trap-laying officer. On the issue of sanction, the Court ruled that Sections 19(3) and 19(4) of the PC Act become irrelevant when the trial court itself quashes the sanction as invalid at the threshold. Since there was a factual dispute regarding whether the appellant was appointed by the State Government or the Commissioner, the matter was remitted to the trial court to determine the competent appointing authority and reassess the validity of sanction accordingly.