Jaipur, Jan. 8 : Former Chief of Army Staff General (retired) V. K. Singh appears to have absolved Army Major R. Vikram who entered his residence without official permission purportedly to remove military telephone connection lines, saying that the blame should be laid at the doorstep of those people who ordered him to do so.

While expressing his shock over the incident on the sidelines of a function that he was attending here, General Singh said:"I neither blame the officer, nor do I blame the Army for this.

But, I blame those, who directed him to do that. Maybe, he was ordered in such a way that he had to do that work.

 So, in this case, what is important to know is that who has ordered him to do that and why because such things are not part of the army's protocol, as it has basic protocol and courtesy."

Major Vikram, he said, was just a pawn in a larger scheme.

It maybe recalled that unidentified persons led by the major entered General Singh''s residence to remove the telephone connection lines January 5.

Reportedly, they were turned away by General Singh''s wife Mrs. Bharti Singh, giving rise to speculation at an attempt was being made to install a bug. (ANI)