In this reported speech question, you must choose the correct indirect version of the direct statement "I said to you, \"I can not be blamed for this.\"" according to standard rules of narration.

Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on converting a direct statement of denial or defence into indirect speech. The original sentence is "I said to you, 'I can not be blamed for this.'" You must choose the option that correctly reflects pronoun changes, modal verb backshifting, and the shift in demonstrative reference from "this" to "that".

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Reporting clause: I said to you.
• Quoted speech: I can not be blamed for this.
• Modal verb: can, expressing present ability or possibility.
• Demonstrative: this, pointing to a situation near in time or context.

Concept / Approach:
In reported speech with a past reporting verb, "can" usually changes to "could". The pronoun "I" remains "I" because the same person is now reporting the sentence. The indirect structure often prefers "told" rather than "said to" when followed by an object pronoun and a clause. The demonstrative "this" becomes "that" to indicate a more distant or referred situation.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Replace "said to you" with the more natural "told you" in indirect speech.Keep the pronoun "I" for the speaker, since the narrator and original speaker are the same.Backshift the modal "can" to "could" because the reporting verb is in the past.Change "this" to "that" to match the usual demonstrative shift in reported speech.Combine into: "I told you that I could not be blamed for that."

Verification / Alternative check:
The resulting sentence "I told you that I could not be blamed for that." sounds natural and formally correct. It preserves the sense of the original defence while following the standard transformation patterns taught in English grammar for reported statements with modals and demonstratives.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A changes the meaning by making "you" the person who cannot be blamed, which alters the original message. Option C uses "said you" instead of the correct "said to you" and fails to backshift "can not" or change "this". Option D uses "said to you that" but also keeps "can not" and "this", which does not conform to the usual backshifting rules and demonstrative change in reported speech.

Common Pitfalls:
It is common for students to forget that "said" normally does not take a direct object without "to", while "told" does. Another mistake is to leave modals and demonstratives unchanged even when the reporting verb clearly indicates a shift in time perspective. Paying attention to these small but important changes can greatly improve reported speech accuracy in exams.

Final Answer:
The correct indirect sentence is I told you that I could not be blamed for that.